(Safe) And Sound
by SereneDream
Summary: SEQUEL TO SAFE. One year later, Jon and Alex are happily together and going about life until a familiar someone swears revenge on them and their growing family.
1. Chapter 1

Here is the first chapter to the sequel of Safe! I'm using either real or stage names, so hopefully you can decided between them. I don't own anything but my character Alex! Enjoy and tell me what you think! Enjoy ;)

/

He tossed and turned in a pool of cold sweat, the sheets of his bed sticking to his skin. His body jolted in violent movement and his mouth doing the same, mumbling incoherent words and sounds.

Finn had done this time and time again- every night to be exact. His sleep was always restless as he haunted by his own dreams.

They'd always be the same- locked in an all glass room by himself while a mystery dark haired girl lay outside the door, bleeding like a stuck pig.

He would scream and shout, pounding his fists against the glass door but no matter how loud he'd get, it was no match for the eerie silence all around. It was drowning.

But something was different tonight.

The dark haired girl slowly rose to her feet and stared at him with the saddest of eyes ringed in black, red lipstick smudged and gun in her hand.

Finn reached out, trying to bust through the door in his dream but with all his might he couldn't.

So he watched as this girl he swore he'd seen before rose the gun slowly, settling at the spot between his eyes. The room was no more- now the two standing mere inches away from one another.

All he could do was stand there as if his feet were stuck to the ground, unable to move even if he tried.

Her eyes bore deep into his as she cocked the gun, her lips trembling.

His dreams would usually end the same- a subtle unknown voice whispering ' _I love you',_ but now he could put a face to those words as she was the one who spoke them.

BANG!

Finn shot up in his bed like a bullet, his eyes wide as he made out his surroundings back in the real world. His heart raced in his chest, his breathing so loud and erratic he was sure he'd wake the sleeping blonde woman beside him.

So he stepped out of the bed, slowly creeping to the door of the room he was staying in. He sunk right down to the ground, his head in his hands going through every detail played out in his mind.

Who was this girl?

And why did he have the feeling he'd seen her before? Let alone tell her he loved her?

Something was missing, like the pieces of the puzzle had been scattered and mismatched.

His whole mind felt rattled as he tried to make sense of this dream and this girl.

Who was she?

And what the hell was his own mind trying to tell him about her?

xXx

"Hands behind your back! NOW!"

"Come on Point Break, we don't have all day."

Jon grabbed a hold of the shaggy haired culprit, snapping the handcuffs tightly around his wrists. The guy tried his best to flee once again but Jon's whimsical partner Nick pulled the guy to his feet and led him straight to the back of the cop car, shoving him in.

"Finally!" Nick exclaimed, slamming the door shut, "We got this fucker."

"Goddamn miracle huh?" Jon chuckled.

It'd been a slow year of petty patrolling the streets of Cincinnati, significantly different than going after all sorts of gangs and drug dealers, lords. This new "thrill" in life and career wasn't exactly what he remembered when he first started years ago- arresting a few bad guys here and there and house calls- but it's the sacrifice he wanted to make for the sake of his family.

"Most action I've seen in days thanks to this bastard," Nick teased, shining the culprit the middle finger for spitting on the inside of the window.

"Don't know whether that's a good or bad thing," Jon chuckled.

"So what're we even charging him with? Being an asshole?"

"Break and enter, theft… Almost obstructing a police officer if I didn't get his ass to the ground in time," Jon listed, leaning against the front end of the car.

"We should throw asshole in there too. See what Hunter thinks about that."

"He'd wonder if the paper work was about you or the other blonde dream boat back there."

"Ha, ha."

Jon slipped into the driver's seat, and Nick in the passenger's. The back seat was enclosed with bullet proof glass, the culprit banging his head and screaming for no one to hear.

Nick banged on the glass, yelling for the guy to shut the fuck up as Jon pulled onto the street, leading them back to the station with their less than precious cargo in the back.

"Hey, you coming out with us tonight? We're checking out some new spot in town, the whole precinct."

Jon shook his head. "Nah, man...Got dinner with my girl over at Joe's."

"Man it's been forever... How's he doing? What about Antonio?" Nick asked reminiscing when it used to be the four them running the DEA wild.

Jon shrugged. "Cesaro's got a girl now."

Nick bursted into laughter. "What? Has hell frozen over? Because I think it has."

"Yeah, no shit."

"So who's this zoo keeper?"

"She's Alex' boss, down at the clinic... She's a doctor."

"What in the blue hell? A doctor? And him? How the hell is that even possible?"

"Don't know, man..."

"Man... You must be missing that loony toon, huh?"

Jon shrugged again. He might not have missed Antonio entirely but he did miss their so called adventures and the thrill that was his career just a year ago.

But but this was life now... Sitting a cop car, day in and day out, for hours at a time without as much as one call a day.

He began to wonder if it was really, really worth it, especially with the screaming sack of shit in the back seat.

xXx

Alex sat behind her desk at the clinic, counting down the mere minutes left till the clock struck nine- the end of another work week.

Five minutes to go and how she was this impatient was beyond her.

Maybe she just missed Jon... A little too much. It'd been a busy week juggling work, night classes and the kids- making it impossible for any alone time with him. So yeah, she did miss him a whole lot, and why time was fucking around with her she didn't know.

"Hey you," Emma smiled, resting her arms against the desk. She was the little blonde Aussie doctor, the owner of the clinic and strangely Antonio's girlfriend.

"Before you leave I just wanted to tell you I should have your results back in time for Monday."

"Really? That's great... If I wasn't so nervous."

"Come on... Babies are fun."

"You just want more pictures for that prestigious wall of yours, don't you?" Alex asked, pointing to the Hall of Baby Fame as Emma called it- a wall dedicated to the babies she delivered in her entire career.

"One more wouldn't hurt," she shrugged.

"Yeah, well, I guess we'll see Monday."

"Yes we will," Emma smiled again, giddy from all this baby talk.

"You need a ride home tonight?"

"No thanks... Jon is picking me up."

"I would say don't do anything I wouldn't do but I guess you beat me to it... At Least that's what it's probably going to say Monday," Emma teased.

"You're evil."

Emma pulled out her keys, backing towards the front door. "Of course... I'm a doctor. I'll see you Monday, momma!"

Alex smiled, getting up from her seat to shut off the lights to the clinic. She stood for a second, hand on her stomach as she pondered the idea of having another baby.

Which wasn't entirely a bad thing... She'd been with Jon for over a year and a half and they lived together- everything in their lives were stable, like it was supposed to be.

She smiled to herself thinking how crazy she was for having any doubts about having a baby... Especially with the one man she loved more than anything.

She pulled her jacket through her arms, zipping the zipper and grabbing her belongings before heading out the door to see Jon's car parked out front.

"Hey there officer," she giggled, locking the front door.

He was propped on the hood of his car, dressed in his police uniform. His usual slicked back hair was messy, draped over his eyes. That devilish smirk on his face made her sweat, hot flashes galore...

"What is this? Am I being arrested?" She played along, inching closer and closer to the car.

He hoped off the hood, his towering frame shadowing over her as she looked up. "Looks that way, doesn't it sweetheart?" his cool, rugged voice oozed.

"Well I'm willing to get out of it... I'll do anything," she whispered, hands on his chest and a smile on her lips.

"And I mean anything."

She stood on her tippy toes, her lips pressed against his. "This is a first," she mumbled.

"That's why I'm doing it," he mumbled against her lips, picking her up in his arms.

"You better hope to God no one thinks you're on duty."

Jon chuckled, pressing her against the car. "Don't worry... This is all for you."

Alex moaned softly as his hands traveled down her sides, unaware for a quick second that they were outside in the parking lot giving who ever, if anyone, a show. "We should go... Before Nicole calls us in as missing persons."

Jon thought for a second at how true that statement was... Nicole was like that- prim and proper, on time for everything and expecting the same from others. "She can wait," he chuckled, pulling Alex to the car.

"For what?"

"Gotta break in this uniform," he smirked, kissing her. "And that back seat."

This was new... Exciting.

"Get in the back," he ordered, opening the car door, all authoritive-like. The look in his eyes was lustful, it was excitement. He quite enjoyed this kinky idea he conjured up his sleeve.

And so did Alex.

She slipped into the back seat and for a moment Jon just stared instead of pouncing right on top of her. This beautiful women who lay on her back, her legs raised and knees together and playing with her hair was the definition of tease. Pure, goddamn painful tease that is.

But that was okay. He really didn't mind that much.

'Cause at the end of the night, this tease was all his.

Whether it be the bedroom or the back seat of his car, he didn't care as long as it was her.

"Officer Shaw, I think you need to put those handcuffs to good use."


	2. Chapter 2

I don't own anything but my character Alex! Enjoy ;)

/

"What took you guys so long? You're literally like ten minutes away," Nicole scolded as Jon and Alex stepped inside the house.

Jon managed to keep a straight face, his own messy, sex hair looking locks speaking for itself.

And along with her failed attempt at a poker face, Alex's messy, once tamed curls and wrinkled black dress, Nicole knew something was up.

"I don't even wanna know..."

"Good, cause we're not telling," Alex giggled.

"Hey, long time no see," Joe greeted, a plate of steaks and tongs in his hands.

"What the hell happened to you guys? High speed chase or something?"

Jon cracked a smile, glancing over at Alex. "That ain't enough action for her."

Joe shook his head, having pieced everything together. "Really Shaw?"

"I was off duty, big guy... But maybe you should try the real thing sometime and tell me how it is," Jon suggested with a shrug of his shoulders, looking all smug but he had good reason to be. He just had incredible sex in the back seat of his car while impersonating himself as a police officer...

"Yeah, we really should," Nicole chimed in. Joe gave her such an out there look like she was insane which she did not appreciate.

"Baby, don't get me wrong," Joe started, trying to defend himself. "That's all exciting and what not, but your basically suggesting I have sex with you on a stakeout or something."

"Exactly."

"In the line of fire... In as much danger as possible?"

"Sounds romantic," Nicole teased.

"We hang around this lunatic too much, I tell ya," Joe chuckled, walking into the kitchen.

"Come get a beer, Mr. off duty cop!"

"Want something?" Jon asked Alex. She shook her head, pushing him down the hall to his friend.

"You two are crazy," Nikki laughed, leading Alex into the living room. They sat down on the white couch in the middle of the all white room, the fireplace crackling and burning brightly in the corner.

Nicole and Joe's house was spectacular- almost museum like. Everything was coordinated and neatly placed... Kinda like Nicole herself.

"You want anything? Wine?"

"You don't even have any wine... Don't bother asking me first."

A huge smile planted itself on Nicole's face- she was glowing.

"No more of that for a bit," she said slowly through that grin.

"Oh my God, are you pregnant?"

Nicole nodded. "Joe doesn't know yet... How he hasn't figured it out is beyond me, like come on. No wine and I'm already puffing up? I guess he didn't pay attention the first time."

"Just cause their a couple of cops doesn't mean they can solve everything," Alex laughed.

Down the hall and inside the kitchen, Jon and Joe occupied a couple of bar stools with beers in their hands, while Joe waited for the rest of the meal to cook.

"How's everything, man?" He asked.

"Good... Can't complain."

"How's the road treating you?"

Jon suppress his distaste- the fact that his and Nick's excitement for the day was the arrest of some dumbass kid who'd get out in a couple of days with a slap on the wrist and every intention to defy authority again.

There was no denying that Jon missed the challenge of what was once his job before.

"It's different," Jon mumbled, chugging his beer.

"You know, the door's always open if you wanna come back," Joe suggested. He felt he was doing him a favour.

"Yeah I know... Don't feel the need to though."

"It's what you wanna do. I know it is."

Jon sighed heavily. It was the truth. But he couldn't go back. Not after everything that happened.

"I just wanna forget about everything that happened... This way, being on the road and patrolling the city, is the only way I can do that."

"You're afraid something'll happen to her, aren't you?"

He was.

"Not just her... My son, her daughter. Our family."

"None of that was your fault."

"But it's got me feeling that way... And with him still out there, it's best for me to sit back and protect my family instead of getting caught up in these cases like I did before."

There was really no reasoning with Jon at this point. He'd made his decision months ago, saying yet another goodbye to the one job he always loved. The one job he was always good at.

But he was a protector. And when he felt threatened, he was one stubborn bastard which rendered Joe's attempts of reasoning useless.

"Is that why you didn't tell her about Lopez?"

Jon felt that terrible, disgusting feeling of guilt fill his stomach.

"Yeah."

Every letter Colby sent, Jon read. Deep down, he knew they weren't harmful. He cared and he was trying to show it but Jon saw it as a gateway back into the nightmare she escaped.

So he kept them from her.

"Shit like this always backfires, you know that right?"

Jon shrugged. "I got a lot of other shit on my plate reminding me that what I'm doing is right."

"What makes you so sure, man?"

Jon smiled. He still couldn't believe it, if he was actually right. "I think Alex is pregnant."

xXx

Bray crept his way into Finn's empty bedroom, scoping out his surroundings to make sure he was indeed alone. He didn't bother turning on the light- pulling out an old candle lit lantern he'd found in the house awhile back.

He went straight for Finn's desk beside his bed, covered in papers both filled with chicken scratch and blank. There were piles scattered everywhere but Bray was determined to search through anything he could, diving head first into Finn's madness.

Bray came across Finn writing down everything he could the other night, after a restless night.

It was getting worse- Finn's sleepless nights and yelling in his slumber, screaming out **her** name.

 **Alexandra.**

But he'd never remember the morning after... He just identified the dark haired girl as _her._

Now he was writing down everything he could remember from his dreams then attempting to piece together the puzzle.

Bray came across a piece of paper in particular, the clearest ever of Finn's chicken scratch writing.

 **Blood on the ground.**

 **Blood all over her.**

 **A gun in my hand.**

 **A gun in her hand.**

It troubled Bray... Finn was slowly beginning to remember the past. Everything he'd done to get Finn to forget the past would soon be a waste if he had just one more dream.

And he would. It was just a matter of time.

 **'A'**

Because he could almost put a letter to _her_ name.

xXx

Alex sat atop the bench inside one of the rooms in the clinic, her feet dangling over the edge as she read the same pregnancy awareness poster over and over again.

How ironic.

She huffed, wiping her sweaty palms on her jeans, waiting and waiting.

She was convinced she already knew. All the signs pointed to she was indeed pregnant, so why was she ever here waiting on Emma who was probably still up in the front, smiling and giggling like a mad women since Antonio came in for a visit.

She became so impatient, fiddling with everything in her reach like a four year old child. Emma found it hilarious once she opened the door, shaking her head at Alex with a stethoscope in her ears.

"What are you? Five?" Emma laughed.

"I needed something to do since you were busy with Romeo."

"Oh my God... That's exactly how I'd describe him."

"Really?"

Emma nodded. "You should come out with us Friday night."

"I think Jon's still a little weirded out by you two."

"That's okay... But if you do we'll have to order you virgin drinks instead."

Alex's eyes bulged. "What?"

"You, Alexandra Taylor, are indeed pregnant."

Her heart literally warmed and it was as if hearing the words in person made everything okay. No nervousness, no doubt if any.

She was indeed pregnant.

And she was ecstatic.

"See? Told you babies are great."

"Wow... How far along?"

"My guess is nine weeks but I'm going to set you up for an ultrasound so we can see how this little bean is doing."

Nine weeks pregnant- a baby of their own to join their blended family. Kylie would be just as ecstatic as she was and Cameron would be dead set on it being a boy.

Alex felt her stomach flutter, excitement building just thinking of telling Jon the news.

Would he be as excited as she now was?

She hoped.

Emma interrupted her thoughts with laughter... Laughter out of nowhere.

"Oh, God," she said between giggles, "And next time Jon decides to play sexy cop and pretends to arrest you, make sure you guys aren't in the way of the cameras outside, you idiots."

"You saw?"

"Of course I did."

"Oh God..."

"Oh God is right. Keep that up and I'll have plenty of baby pictures for my wall," Emma teased, handing Alex the pregnancy results and date for the impending ultrasound.

"One at a time," Alex said, her eyes reading over every single letter in the word PREGNANT.


	3. Chapter 3

I don't own anything but my character Alex!

/

Finn looked so lethargic, the way he stared into nothingness in front of him. If it weren't for him bringing his beer bottle to his lips he would have been frozen solid, like a statue.

He'd been at his favourite pub in Ireland for hours now, drowned in everything while his mind kept going and going.

He had another dream the night before- this one different than all the rest.

This time she wasn't covered in blood and distress. She looked so beautiful all in black, her lips the colour of crimson. Her hair was pinned to the side so his lips could easily kiss at her neck, trailing down her front while she lay pressed against a sea of black sheets, the most beautiful sounds coming from her mouth.

His dream was nothing violent. It was intimate in every way possible, enough for him to awake in release.

He was going insane, wondering who this mystery girl was. She had to be real... He had to find her because in real life he'd come across her before.

"Where's Balor?" He heard from across the bar. Turning to the direction of the voice, he saw a large man standing where Bray and Braun occupied a dark corner of the bar. The man was familiar- he was always sent out to do the bidding of his boss, whatever it may be.

"You came a long way. What the hell do you want?" Finn asked, standing behind the man.

He turned around, his large frame towering over. "Phil is looking for you."

"What does he want?"

"You wanna know, you come with me now."

Phil was all sorts of strange. He was a self proclaimed straight edge man yet his hands were dirty with the distribution of whatever he could get. He was money driven, more so then his own beliefs and never once touched the stuff he sold. He was an impending partner of Sheamus', the deal falling through with his untimely death which Finn didn't mind. At twenty nine years old he was the predecessor and he'd never been so wealthy and driven with power his entire life. There was no way he was ready to share that with anyone, especially some one like Phil.

Because Finn despised Phil.

"I'm not going anywhere with you...

That deal never and will never go through."

"Why? Cause Sheamus is dead and now some kid is in charge who thinks he's Irish royalty but in reality doesn't even know what the fuck he's doing doesn't know what's best for business?"

Finn gritted his teeth, inching closer to the man. "This _kid_ owns everything around you so I'd watch what you say if I were ya."

"You think you're that great, huh?"

Finn smirked, shaking off the idea of this conversation going on any longer than it really needed to. "We're done here."

"Come on Balor, I didn't even get to tell you the best part yet," she guy laughed, managing to get right under Finn's skin even more.

"Tell me what?" He gritted.

"Sheamus did in fact make that deal... He wasn't sure a kid like you could handle all this."

That set Finn off quicker than a goddamn bomb. He threw his fist with all his might, connecting with the guy's face. It was heard all around the place, turning heads in the direction of the fight that was about to erupt into something brutal.

Braun stood to his feet but Finn motioned for him to sit back down. "Don't."

"You don't come around here, tellin' me whatever shit you want," Finn hissed, his attention back on the guy rubbing at his sore jaw, even spitting out a glob of blood.

Bray and Braun watched on, as did the rest of the pub, some shocked at what the hell was going on and others chanting for a brawl. Before Finn could react, the guy pounced to his feet and speared him into a table, beer bottles and glasses shattering as they hit the floor along with Finn. His head slammed against the wooden ground, rendering him senseless as the guy got in one good hit before Braun wrapped his hand around his neck, pulling him off Finn.

"Alex?" Finn mumbled, blinking. Across the bar top he could see that familiar face- the one from his dreams.

It was her. It was Alexandra.

Bray stood to his feet while Braun dragged the guy away, quickly throwing him outside the pub. "What'd you say?" Bray asked, kneeling in front of Finn.

He pointed to the bar as Bray looked, seeing just a male bar tender looking on at what just happened. "It's Alex," Finn said.

He was sure he'd seen her. And now every single thought his mind had stored of her came to life.

"Where is she?" Finn grumbled angrily, trying to stand to his feet but Bray placed his hand on his chest to stop him. But either way it was too late.

 **"I remember her."**

xXx

Alex would never forget the look on Jon's face when she came home from work Monday night, dangling the paper with the pregnancy results in his line of vision. At first he was confused, wondering what the hell she was doing.

He squinted, quickly snatching up the paper with cat like reflexes. He read the only word that made complete sense at the moment. He studied every letter, over and over till it finally sunk in that his revelation was actually true.

"Holy shit."

Alex froze. "Is that a good or bad thing?"

"Good, good," he was quick to justify, a smirk creeping its way to his lips.

"It's just... I was right."

"You were what?"

"Right... You barricading yourself in the bathroom in the morning, puking your guts out with the water running was proof enough."

Alex giggled, her hands on either side of cheeks, pulling him in for a kiss. "I guess I should've known you'd figure it out sooner or later," she said as she pulled away.

"Of course... This isn't rocket science."

Alex snorted in laughter, remembering Nicole the other night.

"You should tell that to Joe cause apparently he's way off course."

"What do you mean?" Jon asked, eyebrows furrowed and trying to make sense of that. But it didn't take him long, his palm slapping against his forehead as his response.

"You and Nicole pregnant together? Man... Something must be in the water."

Jon chuckled, his hand gravitating to Alex's stomach, imagining the growing bump where his hands would be months from now. "So... We're having a baby."

"Yes we are," Jon laughed, his eyes glued to where his hand rested.

"It's been almost eight years... Think we still got what it takes?" She asked, the littlest of doubt filling her head but it was true. It'd been awhile since their "diaper changing, up all night with a crying infant" days, so she was rightfully fearful of what was ahead.

Jon could see it in her eyes, the way her body tensed while she looked like she was battling back and forth with herself, inside her head. He smiled, his index finger raising her chin to look at him. "We'll be fine."

"I know... It's just kind of surreal, you know?"

"We got this," he nodded, "It was bound to happen sooner or later, babe."

"Yeah, which reminds me." She smiled, her body pressed against his and her mouth to his ear.

"Emma saw everything the other night... We basically made a sex tape," she whispered to Jon's immediate surprise.

But he was quick to shrug it off, whispering back "I still had fun."

Emma wasn't as quick to brush it off as they were. She made sure to tease and bust their balls about it during Alex' ultrasound.

"Yeah, yeah... You're just jealous," Jon shot back, mesmerized by the tiny flicker that was their growing baby on full display.

"Well, getting back to this baby that is the product of your guys' creative sex life, I'd say Alex is thirteen weeks along," Emma informed, gliding the Doppler slowly into Alex' small, little bump of a belly.

Jon nodded, staring at Alex whose eyes never left the tiny screen. He smiled, but it soon fell once his eyes traveled down to her bare stomach to the scar that haunted him.

He cleared his throat, scratching the back of his head nervously. "Uh, I got a question."

"What's up?" Emma asked, typing something into the keyboard as she was measuring the growth of the baby.

"Alex, uh," he started, at a complete loss of words. He didn't know how to word what he was going to say- having not spoken about the ordeal since it happened.

"She, uh... There was an accident a year back," he finally say, his fingers brushing over her scar.

"Is she gonna be okay because of it?"

"It shouldn't pose a threat to this little guy or girl... What exactly happened anyways?" Emma questioned.

Alex and Jon looked at one another, both sighing. It was obviously a tough topic to discuss. But he grabbed her hand in his, intertwining their fingers. "She was shot," he mumbled.

Shivers ran down his spine as he spoke those words, the images of what happened a year ago coming back to life.

"Well the only thing that would put her at risk is if she was shot a little ways down, not on the side," Emma explained, her own fingers trailing the scar.

"Is it gonna do anything to the baby? Or Alex?" Jon asked.

"It shouldn't, no... But it doesn't hurt to keep an extra eye on the both of them," Emma smiled, "Good thing she's with me everyday."

Jon nodded, feeling a little easier. He was able to enjoy the rest of the ultrasound, listening to Emma explain what the hell they were looking at even though it didn't look like much.

But he was excited. He was going to have another child with the woman he loved so so much. It was time to leave the past in the past and focus on their growing family in the present. That's all that mattered now.


	4. Chapter 4

Sorry about the delay! But here we go with Chapter 4... I don't own anything but my character Alex! :)

/

"You did this to me!" Finn shouted as he sunk down to the ground, clawing at his temples. He stayed sitting in the middle of his room as Bray stood over by the window looking outside at the darkness, waiting for Braun's car to pull up.

He paid no attention to Finn's screaming and sudden realization of how things were so long ago. He'd lugged himself back to the house with Bray following behind, the short distance from the pub to the house nothing. He ransacked the entire place for all his notes he'd accumulated for the last little while he'd been recounting his dreams. It all made sense now but he still couldn't put his finger on the blood. He asked himself over and over, why was it there? What did he do?

"Where is she?" Finn yelled.

"She's a million miles away, Finn," Bray said, finally speaking.

"Is she okay?"

Bray shrugged. "Last I seen her she was covered in blood and lookin' lifeless. You saw her like that too so you tell me."

"You mean you don't know if she's okay?" Finn shrieked.

"'Course I don't."

"We need to find her."

Bray chuckled, the fact that Finn was so determined and actually sympathetic towards his own actions amusing. "You really don't know what happened, do ya?"

For the life of him, Finn really didn't know. He didn't remember that part...

"You were ruthless."

"What did I do to her?" Finn asked. He figured he did do something to her if she was haunting his dreams.

"You shot her."

"No!"

Bray nodded. "She was bleedin' out that night, man... For some reason, you got yourself some sense and wanted to take her to the hospital."

"Is she dead?" He dared ask.

Bray thought for a second. He could tell Finn she died and hopefully that would be the end of it. Maybe Finn would believe it. But he knew Finn better than that... He would have researched into it the best he could, possibly dig up whatever info about her because she was alive.

Bray sought that months ago, curious himself. Now he was in a bind. He couldn't lie, he couldn't twist the truth any which way he wanted anymore. He'd done so much to Finn's mind already- bending and warping it to the point that he didn't have any recollection of his past. Every memory he had of Alex had been so suppressed and hidden in the deepest part of his mind. Bray liked it that way best since Finn was focused on taking over where Sheamus left off- the expansion of their drug trade larger than ever.

Now this would jeopardize everything especially with the addition to Phil.

But Finn didn't care. He only had one care in the world.

"Is she dead?" He repeated.

"No."

"She's alive... Fuckin' Christ. I..."

"What're you suggesting Finn? I know you got something meddling in that mind of yours," Bray snickered.

Finn looked up, his eyes piercing. He knew what he wanted and he was going to get it no matter what.

"I want her... I need to go back."

xXx

"This is my life long dream!" Nicole exclaimed.

"Yeah, this ice cream is pretty good," Alex shrugged, spooning another mouthful of mint chocolate chip goodness into her mouth. Nicole rolled her eyes, smiling from ear to ear across from Alex.

"No, I mean us two."

"Pregnant?" Alex questioned, spoon in her mouth again.

"Yes! Baby shopping and more of these little ice cream dates to come, I can't wait!" Nicole exclaimed, looking over Alex' shoulder from their place at the food court.

Joe and Jon roamed around one of the toy stores with the kids, and from what Nicole could see the guys found their way down a baby aisle.

"So you excited?" Joe asked, stopping in front of cribs in every color imaginable. He placed his hands a top a white one, just like the one Isabelle had when she was a baby.

For the first time since Nicole announced they were expecting another child, he was nervous. Actually shitting himself nervous. He was hoping maybe Jon was too so they could bask in each other's doubts together, but he wasn't that lucky.

"Yup," Jon answered. He was ecstatic, actually. Stumbling down the baby aisle like a dotting daddy to be was fun and reminiscent of when Cam was just a little guy. Of course he was excited.

"You're not the least bit nervous? At all?" Joe asked, expecting this to go a whole different way. But Jon shook his head.

"Nope."

"Really?"

"Yeah."

"How?"

"How? Man... Sounds like you're the nervous one," Jon pointed out.

Joe smiled. "That obvious?"

"You're a nervous wreck. It's that obvious," Jon chuckled, letting his own hands grasp the side rail of a chestnut colored crib.

"How the hell are you so cool and collected about all this?" Joe asked, hoping to feed off of this way Jon had about him.

But he sighed, leaving Joe wondering why. "You okay?"

"Yeah. I'm cool with having another kid and all," Jon assured, scratching the back of his head, "Just not gettin' much sleep lately."

"What's up, man?" Joe asked, taking a seat in a rocking chair beside the cribs. Jon followed, occupying the empty one beside his best friend. He leaned forward, resting his elbows against his knees as he looked off into space.

"I keep thinking something is gonna go wrong with the baby or Alex... It's like I'm dreaming it or something."

"Come on... It's just dad jitters, man."

"Sure as hell doesn't feel like it... Feels like I'm having some kinda sixth sense thing going on," Jon explained, sort of laughing at himself once he said it out loud. It still didn't make any sense why he was feeling that way.

Everything was absolutely fine. The baby was fine, Alex was healthy and Emma guaranteed nothing but the best for the both of them.

He figured it was just his stupid mind replaying the past as well as whatever jitters Joe was talking about.

"You're freaked out about everything that happened before, that's all. Just goes to show how much you love and care for your girl," Joe said, patting Jon on the back.

He nodded, figuring that was it. "Yeah... Yeah I know."

"Don't worry about a thing. You're already a great father and step father, man."

"Thanks..."

"Listen. Why don't you take her up to Lake Eerie?"

"Your cottage?"

Joe nodded. "Yeah, Nicole was complaining non stop about how we couldn't get out there this year. Sounds like you need some place to clear your head plus it'll be good for the two of you to get away, be alone."

Jon smirked. "Be alone, huh?"

"Nicole always said it was the most romantic place I've ever taken her," Joe shrugged.

"What about Paris? Did she forget that?" Jon quipped, standing to his feet with a huge grin on his face.

"The cottage is where the real romance is at, brother... Remember that," Joe chuckled, rocking back and forth.

"Okay... Yeah, I guess I'll take you up on that offer," Jon said, smiling over at Cam and Kylie pointing at the mix of baby boy and girl bedding sets on display.

"You won't regret it, man," Joe said, standing to his feet and following Jon who was heading over to the kids.

"'Course I won't... 'Cause in Nicole's terms, it's the most romantic place ever," Jon teased.

xXx

 **Hey Balor, it's actually good to hear from you.**

 _Wish I could say the same._

 **Is that any way to greet your new business partner?**

 _Not my choice._

 **Yeah I know... Some people actually say 'hello' and 'how you doing?'**

 _I'm talkin' about you._

 _ **What about me?**_

 _I'll be damned if I have to share the business with you._

 **Well you are damned, Balor... Or should I say, partner. So I hear you're making your way over here, FINALLY...**

 _Yeah, I am... And I'm actually coming myself instead of sending one of my fucking goons to do my bidding instead._

 **Gallows always wanted to see Ireland, what was I supposed to do?**

 _Whatever, Punk._

 **So when should I be expectin' ya?**

 _Dunno... I'm stopping by Ohio first._

 **What in the hell is in Ohio?**

 _Nothing you need to know about. You'll hear from me when I'm near Chicago._

That was the end of their conversation before Finn, Bray and Braun occupied a private jet heading out of Ireland any minute, beginning their almost day long trip to Ohio.

Cincinnati to be exact.

Finn had to find Alex. He needed to see her.

Business would come later and Bray couldn't do a thing about it to steer Finn away yet again. All he could do was follow along, make sure nothing got out of hand since they had a city wide warrant for their arrest a year back.

"You sure you wanna do this, kid?" Bray asked, just as the jet was about to ascend into the sky.

Without any hesitation, Finn nodded, his cool blue eyes an icy shade. "Yeah," he mumbled, peering out the window as the clouds came into sight.

"Nothing you can do about it anyways," he reminded Bray, a small smirk growing at the corner of his lips.

Bray chuckled but then he was silent. It was the honest truth. There wasn't a damn thing he could do about it. But that didn't mean Bray wouldn't go against his orders if it did jeopardize anything business wise... Something he was sure Finn knew he was capable of doing.

Without any doubt.

Or consequence.

What so ever.

 _"We'll see."_


	5. Chapter 5

The lake was the perfect getaway for the weekend- like Joe had said.

It was peaceful and soothing, Jon feeling like his mind was finally at ease. He was able to breathe without feeling like he was being suffocated by every horrible thought that seeped it's way inside his head, waking him at all hours of the night and rendering him miserable.

None of that mattered now as he kicked back, relaxed and just admired the woman he fell so in love with- like he used to do so freely.

The night they got there, he later found her on the couch cradling a cup of tea and flipping through an old photo album filled with pictures from Nicole and Joe's wedding.

He leaned against the wall, smiling as she did- coming across photos of both Jon and Joe, the two wearing big black sunglasses and pretending to use their beer bottles for a duel.

"How drunk were you guys in this one?" She giggled, pointing her finger at the picture.

"We were getting there," Jon breathed, crossing the room to sit beside her.

"Till Joe sobered up, thinking Nicole would divorce him right then and there."

"Oh God, she probably would have," Alex mumbled, coming across a single shot of Nicole in her whiter than white wedding dress- a long, fitted strapless number while holding a bouquet medley of red roses and baby's breath in her hands. "She's so beautiful," Alex

couldn't help but comment, so mesmerized by the shot.

"It was a day to remember, that's for sure... Joe was crazy. Probably worse than Nicole."

"I could only imagine," Alex said, sipping her tea and flipping through another page.

"Is this what you want one day?" Jon asked out of nowhere, almost causing Alex to choke on the hot beverage. By the look on his face, he was serious. It wasn't some play he was taking advantage of because of the album sitting in her lap.

"Uh," she stumbled with her words, setting her mug and photo album on the table in front of them, "I mean, yeah, doesn't everybody?"

Jon chuckled. "I know I said I'd never get married again... But being with you makes me rethink everything."

She smiled, feeling like a speechless puddle of goo beside him. He never seized to amaze her. She didn't even think it was possible.

"You damn well know how to make a girl speechless," Alex said, grabbing a hold of his cheeks, pulling him in for a kiss.

"One of my qualities, huh?" He chuckled against her lips, lifting her in his lap.

"One of many."

"So what do you say about takin' the plunge?"

"Well you already have my heart... And now my uterus," she teased.

"You have me for life."

"Do I?"

He looked deep into her eyes and nodded. "You do."

"Good... I've grown to like you so you know... That's a good thing," Alex giggled, but that beautiful smile soon disappeared and Jon brushed his fingers against her cheeks.

"What's wrong? He asked.

"I know you haven't been sleeping well at night."

"I know," he admitted, "Don't let it worry you though, baby."

"It's just... The stuff I've heard you say in your sleep."

He was intrigued. "What have I been saying?"

Alex hesitated as she was about to tread uncharted waters "The accident," she started, "And how you don't want me to do die."

Jon sighed, feeling horrible. Whatever was going on inside his head was supposed to be kept to himself. He didn't want Alex to relive anything or worry.

"What's going on Jon?"

"Ever since you told me about the baby, my mind won't stop going," he admitted, "Its like everything is coming back."

"It's not... We're okay now. We all are."

"I think deep down I know that too. It's just not easy realizing that I almost lost you, Alex. That's one of the scariest things I've ever had to deal with."

"You'll never lose me, Jon," she whispered, her head resting against his chest.

"I'm tryin' sweetheart," he said, kissing her head. "It's still gonna take some time till I'm alright with everything... But one things for sure."

"What's that?"

"You and this baby are my life... Cam and Kylie too. I'm gonna keep doing what I've been doing this entire time- keep you all safe."

xXx

"Hey," Sasha's voice rang through Colby's ears as she slowly crept into his office, his white dress shirt half buttoned and hanging off her body. It was the third night in a row she'd awaken to an empty, cold side of the bed only to find Colby in his office on the couch with a glass of whiskey in one hand and a cigarette in the other, staring at the fireplace in front of him.

Mike texted him back with vital info and it rattled him a nervous wreck.

 **There's word going around about Finn meeting with Phil in Chicago.**

 **But something about him stopping in Ohio first set that back.**

Colby quickly came to the realization that Finn was going to Ohio for one reason only, and it wasn't business related since he was driven out of town a year ago.

"What's going on?" Sasha asked, sitting beside him.

"It's uh... Mike."

"Mike?"

"Yeah... He knows where Finn is."

Sasha gave him a look. She knew all about Finn and the Irish before she got with Colby- her own wanting to make deals for trades with them until he struck a deal with her new boyfriend and his old partner, the traitor Del Rio.

"He's going back to Cincinnati," Colby gritted, "He's going to see **her**... I know it."

Sasha knew all about Alex. She'd seen all the letters he attempted to finish until one night he did. He still cared for her and now since there was word on Finn's whereabouts, she knew it would be damn near impossible to talk him out of returning home too.

"What're you gonna do?" She asked, feeling stupid that she even did. She already knew his answer.

"This could be my only chance to get him."

"I know."

"But he's obviously going to see Phil."

Phil had ties with Sasha and her crew, the elders mostly. They had deals set in place older then her it seemed. This whole scheme Colby was conjuring in his mind could very well break the bond between them initiating a war.

"I can't talk you out of anything," she whispered, "But that doesn't mean I can't tell you to think first."

Colby sighed. He was in a bind.

He needed to go back to Cincinnati, warm Alex that Finn was around again. Or maybe get a hold of Jon, somehow...

He needed to do something or else guilt would literally eat him alive.

"I won't do anything stupid. I can't," he reassured her, thumb brushed against her lip.

"You can't promise me though."

"I can't."

"Then I'm coming with you."

"No," Colby protested. He couldn't put her in any potential danger either. He had a good reputation of doing so anyways...

"I'm coming with you. I can see Phil, talk about any new arrangements he'd like to make with us. I can keep him busy while you search out Finn. You know he'd send an army out if he knew you were anywhere near Finn..."

It was a good idea. Phil always liked Sasha's company. And keeping him busy while Colby made sure Finn was no where near close to Alex could work.

"Please," she pleaded.

So he agreed. "Okay."

xXx

 _There she was- no longer a figure of his imagination. She stood in front of her daughter's school, seated on the stairs busy talking on her cell._

 _He was sure she didn't see him from his place between his car parked among others and some trees. He hid behind black sunglasses and a grey toque, his usual black leather jacket fitting with the rest of his dark attire. His usual clean shaven face somewhat bearded- something she'd never seen before even if she did recognize him._

 _He stood leaning against his car, just watching her._

 _His heart beat within his chest, a rhythm all but calm._

 _If he could he would have already made his presence known to her. But during their flight from Ireland, Bray filled him in on exactly everything that happened that fateful night of the shooting._

 _He couldn't believe how much of a monster he'd become. But when Bray told him everything he possibly knew about their relationship before, and how she lied about seeing the DEA agent behind his back, he realized why he was the way he was._

 _Alex was his- it was plain and simple._

 _That's how it always was with women. He'd develop an attraction to them, court them, and claim them as his own. It was how the business was and Finn abided by it to the fullest especially with Alex._

 _Just seeing her opened Pandora's box of repressed feeling and memories he had of her, intimate ones tainting his mind. A lot of it was still fuzzy but he from what he could remember she was good._

 _And there was a lot of time to make up for a year's worth of missed opportunity._

 _Once her daughter and a little boy he didn't know was Cameron left the school, he followed from across the street, just staring in her direction. If it weren't for the children, he would have approached her by now. He didn't care how she would have reacted... He could talk his way through it, maybe explain himself._

 _He felt he was a changed man. He was willing to put aside everything from the past if that meant he could have her._

 _And he would. Even if Jon was standing in his way._

 _Once she reached the corner of the street, Finn stopped in his tracks once he saw him. Jon hugged the little boy, patted Kylie's head and kissed Alex. Finn hid behind a bushy area, leaning against a tree as he looked on- his blood boiling._

 _That look between Alex and Jon made him crazed. He wanted that with her. As Bray explained, Finn was close to making that happen till Jon came and destroyed that possibility before he ultimately had to flee Cincinnati._

Jon was the problem. He'd always been the problem.

And the only way he could get rid of the problem was eliminate Jon, once and for all.


	6. Chapter 6

It was late, coming up on 1am when Jon pulled up to the house, parking outside the garage. Paper work had kept him and Nick stuck at the station longer than expected.

Jon was exhausted, tired, craving his place in bed alongside Alex. He dragged himself out of his car, unbuttoning the top of his uniform shirt as he walked up to the house.

The wind was blowing and if it hadn't, he wouldn't have noticed the ruffling of a paper hanging from the mailbox.

He was curious. But it could have been nothing.

Though it looked handwritten and not some stupid flyer just left there. He immediately he thought of Colby and all his letters, sort of panicking. So he walked on over to the mailbox, picking the paper out.

He unfolded it, reading the written words.

 _'Alexandra, it's me. I'm alive."_

And it was signed with a very scratchy yet bold **FB.**

 **Finn Balor?**

Jon's stepped back, feeling as though he'd just been hit in the gut. Every thought possibly clouded his mind, going as far as leaving him light headed. Another gust of wind powered through him, seemingly enough to knock something loose inside his head so he could sort out he was feeling. First Jon felt fear, then anger. Finn knew where they lived for fuck sakes. Jon was certain he tracked down Alex somehow and followed her home, waiting till it was dark out to leave his means of communication.

Jon bolted through the front door of the house, shutting and locking it behind him. He didn't bother removing his holster and gun as he walked up the stairs, checking Cameron and Kylie's rooms.

He searched under the beds and in the closets and once it was determined they were actually empty, he went to the one him and Alex shared.

The door creaked open and as he did, he could feel that same cool wind swept right past him. Jon had his hand on his holster the entire time as he walked past the bedroom, eyes peeled. To his delight he could see Alex in the bed, her leg hanging overtop the blanket and clutching his pillow as if it were him.

He could breathe a little easier as possible knowing she was okay and still at the house- no sign of entry or anything. But this was just the beginning and he knew what Finn was capable of doing.

Jon shut the window and sat on the edge of the bed, rubbing his scruffy face as he contemplated his next move. This could well have been a clue to the case he left high and dry a little over a year ago... There'd been no sign of Finn or Bray or whoever else linked to the Irish after the incident at Bray's hideout until now. But now he had incentive to return and keep his family safe since danger lurked again.

"Jon?" Alex' tired voice called out, her hand feeling his cheek, down to his chest as he stared at her in the darkness.

"Hey sweetheart," he breathed.

"Are you okay? Your heart is beating like crazy." She sat up quickly but Jon stopped her.

"I'm okay," he lied, "Just got a little freaked out. Thought I heard something."

"Something freaked you out? Am I dreaming?" Her tired giggly voice enough to actually strike a small smirk.

He stroked her cheek softly, her skin warm under his cold fingers. "You're hot."

"I know... This baby is making me feel like I'm on fire and we're not even at the half way point."

Jon stood from the bed, removing his gun and holster and placing it on the night stand. "It'll get better, baby."

"I hope."

"You need anything?" He asked, leaning against the bedroom door.

"Just you," Alex purred, that beautiful smile eating at him.

He smiled too, nodding his head. "I gotta lock the front door... I'll be right back."

"You better be."

Jon took one more look at Alex before he descended down the hall and stairs. He pulled out his phone as he stood in the foyer, his fingers quickly typing a message to Joe that he hoped he'd see come morning.

 ** _'Need to meet with you and Tony in the a.m. It's important.'_**

xXx

 ** _"It's been a week... What the hell did Finn do? Lose his goddamn heart in Ohio?"_**

"If only you knew. But I assure you I'll stop at nothing to get him back on track so we can meet with you."

 ** _"You wouldn't be saying that if you actually kept him on track in the first place, Bray. Come on..."_**

"Finn's a hard man to reason with, Phil. I'm sure you already know that."

 ** _"No shit I do... Tell him he has three days or I'm coming there to find him and damn it won't be pretty."_**

"I'll take care of it."

 ** _"I can hope, can't I? Just do what I need you to do- get him back on track. I gotta go."_**

Phil ended the call, throwing his cell amongst the collection of burners in the drawer of his desk, only for the buzzing and ringing rattling the drawer again. He riffled through till he clutched ahold of his primary one.

"Hello?" He asked.

"Hey Phil," Sasha's voiced beamed. He immediately knew who it was.

"Banks! Long time no talk."

"Long time no see too," she giggled, "Just wondering if you were busy this week?"

"What's up? Comin' to visit dear old me?"

"You know it's the only reason I drag my pretty ass out there, Mr. Brooks." Phil loved Sasha's flirty, sassy attitude- attributes that made it easier for him to work with her since he mainly dealt with her.

"Your honesty makes me blush, Mrs. Banks. Who knew? Well, I'll be in Ohio in a couple days... Got some shit to sort out."

"So you're going to stand me up, aren't cha?"

"Never. I can move a few things around. Is it just you this time?"

"Yep… Just little old me."

"Perfect." She heard buttons being pressed in the background, probably him typing in their little rendezvous in his main phone.

"Remember that old restaurant we first met at?"

"How could I forget, Phil? I had the shittiest fillet mignon that you apparently played off as the best in the world…"

Phil bursted into laughter. "What're you talking 'bout Banks? It was awesome!"

"The only reason I'm agreeing to going back to that god awful place is 'cause you're my favourite."

"Fine, fine. Meet me there, Wednesday night- let's say 8pm? That okay?"

"You got it… It's perfect," Sasha agreed, giving the thumbs up to Colby who sat across from her.

xXx

"My God, you look like hell," Antonio chuckled once he got a good look at Jon who'd just removed his sunglasses, placing them on the table beside his coffee cup.

Joe texted him as soon as six came around, Jon getting back to him in a flash since he couldn't and wouldn't sleep. It was thankfully his day off, unable to picture his state of mind if he were subjected to work mode and Nick's out there personality.

"Congratulations by the way," Antonio added, "Heard you got that beautiful woman of yours knocked up."

"Thanks," Jon smirked.

"But you do look like shit," Joe added, "What's going on with ya?"

Jon didn't explain just yet. Instead he threw the crumbled piece of paper in the middle of the table, Joe the first to snatch it up.

He read it a few times over before Antonio picked it out of his hands to inspect it.

"What the hell is this?" Joe asked what Antonio was thinking too. Neither one wanted to admit they had the same eerie feeling Jon experienced the night before.

"I found it last night when I came home. Alex hasn't seen it."

"Could it really be him?" Joe asked.

"It's possible... We never found him," like Antonio had to remind them.

"Till now," Jon announced. Both his friends stared at the note now lying in front of them- the words bold as ever.

"He's out there. He's been out there all along just waiting and now he's got his chance at my girl- my family."

"What are you suggesting then?" Antonio asked.

"I want back in."

Jon had been pondering the idea- partially apart of the reason why he couldn't sleep the night before. The only way he could track Finn was getting back with the DEA, keep tabs on any drug activity around the area. It was either that or assign the case to an actual detective- an idea Jon could easily laugh at.

"Sarg is gonna hate you," Joe mumbled.

"I keep comin' back, I know," Jon admitted, "But now I have something to fight for. Hunter will understand and if he doesn't, well... I don't give a fuck. I gotta do what I gotta do."

"I'm with ya, man... If Hunter wants to open the case again, we'll do it."

Antonio agreed.

"What about Alex? Sure she's gonna ask why you're going back..."

"I'll just tell her it wasn't working out, being back on the force, on the streets... That I missed you bunch of assholes."

"See? He did miss us," Antonio chuckled.

Jon shook his head, the laughter of his friends subsiding as he stared at Finn's writing. He knew this was for the better- getting back into what he always enjoyed, what he was damn well good at. But he had his two friends who were willing to take down Finn just as he wanted and needed to.

This was just the beginning and hopefully soon it would be the end.


	7. Chapter 7

Sorry for any errors! :)

/

"You know, I've always liked this the best- you all dressed in black, your leather jacket."

"Thought you liked me dressed up in that uniform better?"

"I did... But this was always my favourite, especially back in that elevator when you told me you were DEA," Alex said, placing her hands on Jon's chest as he kissed her forehead.

Today marked his first day back on the DEA side of things once him and Hunter were able to come to terms in re-opening the case surrounding Finn.

At first Hunter didn't think there was any substantial evidence to put even more man hours into what had been deemed a cold case and he was right to think so. Jon's only piece of evidence was the letter, but with no witnesses or possible address to pin it from, Hunter didn't see a point.

 _"Have I ever come up short before?" Jon argued. He was frustrated Hunter was doing all he could to dismiss the new and only piece of evidence staring him right in the face._

 _But Hunter couldn't deny what Jon had asked. "No you haven't. But what am I supposed to do, Shaw? Nobody's seen him and all you have to show me is this letter that could have been written by anyone at this point."_

 _Jon's baby blues pierced holes right through Hunter. He was angry. "This fucker is after Alex."_

 _"I understand." Hunter's voice was firm and his eyes darted back and forth like he was battling between his own thoughts going on in his head._

 _"I'll tell you what."_

 _Jon breathed. "What?"_

 _"I wanna use Alex."_

 _"What?" Jon's voice was sharp, basically knife-like. He definitely thought the guy sitting across from him- at one point in time considered a mentor- was bat shit crazy._

 _"I wanna use Alex," Hunter repeated, "If you say Finn's back in town, you know he's doing all he can to keep the lowest profile possible, right? And that's only harder for us."_

 _Jon gritted his teeth. He couldn't even provide an answer._

 _"Right?" Hunter repeated._

 _"Yes," Jon mumbled._

 _"We can use Alex like some kind of bait. We won't put her in any danger."_

 _Jon chuckled. It was like déjà-vu._

 _This whole thing was insane- the actual definition of insanity. "She's pregnant, Sarg. That's not only my girl whose gonna potentially be in danger... That's my kid too."_

 _"I know... Don't make me feel any worse than I already do."_

 _"Then what the hell do you expect Alex to do?"_

 _"We'll follow her around town. She won't be entirely alone, but there's no way in hell you can even be in the same vicinity while this is going down. If he sees you, he might put two and two together and it might fuck everything up for the two of you."_

 _"I'm not sitting this one out," Jon protested, "I'm not gonna have her or our baby potential get hurt because of this. It's fucking insane."_

 _"Trust me, Jon. Have I ever let you down before?"_

 _He hadn't yet. "No."_

 _"Then trust me. We have the best guys on the force that will watch over her."_

 _"Who?" Jon demanded. Was he really willing to let Alex' life and well being rest in the hands of anybody? Really?_

 _"Who the hell am I supposed to trust with Alex' well being if it's not gonna be me?"_

 _"Well, for starters... Nick. He wants a way back in this circus."_

Jon tried his best to smile. "I remember it like it was yesterday, baby," he mumbled, holding Alex close to him. He tried so hard to shake the feeling of guilt burrowing in the pit of his stomach. He'd already been lying to this girl, the love of his life. First keeping Colby's letters and Finn's "death" from her and now this? It killed him inside and went against the promise he'd so far kept since that night in the hospital.

 _ **"...I'm never gonna put you in danger for as long as I live... I promise."**_

"I love you," Jon said, clear as day and more meaningful than ever.

She giggled. "And I love you."

"You gonna be home when I get home?"

He hoped to God she would be. In fact he liked the idea of her staying in the house till he found the dirt bag.

But she shook her head. "I have a class till ten tonight so I won't be home till late. Bayley's coming to watch the kids so she'll be there when you get home."

Jon nodded, pulling her close again.

Getting through the next couple hours back on the job was make or break. But getting through the next couple weeks or months till Finn turned up could quite possibly be the death of him.

xXx

Colby stared at the ruins that was his prestige club- once described as the best strip club in town.

It was like someone had literally ripped out his heart and set it on display- his pride and hard work now a condemned and abandoned eye sore of a building.

He flicked his cigarette to the ground, a part of him wishing it somehow rolled over to the rotting wood of the door, igniting in flames like it would somehow end his pain and suffering.

But these ruins he stood in front of wasn't the reason he was here.

He knew Finn was creeping around town and according to Sasha, so was his new business partner Phil Brooks who was looking for Finn too.

Sasha gathered that Phil had no idea why Finn took such a liking to Ohio, even delaying their meet by a few days. So that brought Colby familiarizing himself with his old city- checking out Alex's favourite spots, outside her apartment building as well as the places he knew Finn frequented when him and the rest of the Irish invaded.

But nothing, no sightings of Finn what so ever. That's how he ended up here, in front of the eye sore. He needed to see it as if doing so would bring him closure.

Sighing, he knew he needed to leave before it became even more painful to watch and realize what came of the life he left behind a year ago.

The sun was setting by the time he drove off, no longer feeling the need to wear his sun glasses and hood as a disguise.

There was one place he needed to go back to... Alex's apartment. He needed to see her, to talk to her at least. It had been so long that he was even nervous at the thought of it.

So he pulled up to the building across from hers and parked his car. He waited till someone came out, grabbing the door before it shut. He was in and went straight for the mailboxes, forgetting which apartment she lived in.

But he couldn't find an _Alexandra Taylor._

Or _Jonathan Shaw._

"Looking for someone?" A little old woman asked with a smile on her face, opening up her own mailbox.

"Yeah," Colby answered, "I'm trying to look for my sister. I haven't seen her in a while."

"What's her name?"

"Alexandra Taylor."

The smile on the woman's face dropped and she closed the mailbox door. "I'm afraid she's no longer here. She moved out months ago."

Colby couldn't contain his obvious disappointment. He thought he was so close to seeing her again but now he was back at square one.

"I haven't talked to her in so long... I was hoping to make things right," he mumbled.

The lady squeezed his arm sympathetically. "If I'm not mistaken, I'm sure she said something about moving to Vinewood."

It was a suburb just outside the downtown city life. He'd heard about it before. Maybe that's where she was, with Jon, he thought.

He hoped.

"It doesn't hurt to try. Go to Vinewood. Patch things up with your sister," the woman said.

Colby smiled at her, a part of him feeling awful he partly lied to the sweet old women. But he took her advice and thanked her, leaving the apartment building.

In the morning he was going to the suburbs and hopefully find Alex.

xXx

Dinner was going exceptionally well for Sasha and Phil, the two actually discussing ways to diversify the blow trade. Phil had ideas and Sasha was more then willing to consider- anything to distract him while Colby searched around town for Alex and Finn.

She knew the kind of man Finn was. He was feared, mostly. Then others painted him as being an unworthy leader for the Irish. But he made up for it with the amount of money he was raking in and the lives that came with it.

A part of her feared for Colby. He'd kept such a low profile since everything happened, most of his former buyers thought he was dead. He'd been so obsessed with finding Finn while Mike did his bidding and now the opportunity of a lifetime had arise... She knew when the time came, either Finn or Colby wouldn't walk away from an imminent and violent confrontation.

"I have another proposition for you, Sash."

She shook her head back to reality and smiled a bright grin. "Anything," she said, her voice smooth and sweet like honey.

"I'd like for you to join our ranks- finally connect us to the Florida gang. Spread a little sunshine this side of the world."

That was a tough bite to swallow. Sasha couldn't make a decision like that but she was willing to listen to what Phil had to offer.

"My new business partner Finn attempted to bring every one together awhile ago. Never went through, unfortunately. But I guess that's where I come in."

Sasha knew why it ended in shambles too. But she pretended like she didn't, this not being the time or place to talk about Colby so she just nodded her head.

"Actually, if you don't mind," Phil sighed, reluctantly staring over her shoulder. It took a lot in him to keep from rolling his eyes. "It looks like my number two will be joining us, unexpectedly."

Finn approached their private table inside the dimly lit restaurant- completely expressionless, his presence alone darkening the place.

"Nice of you to join us, Mr. Balor," Phil mumbled, "Wasn't expecting you, at all."

This was good for Colby, Sasha thought. He could go about Cincinnati looking for Alex without a showdown since Finn was here.

"Hope I'm not interrupting," Finn said, his comment directed to Sasha rather than Phil. He could care less about Phil.

"No, not at all." She smiled politely and shook his hand before he sat across from her with Phil to his left.

"I'm Sasha."

"Finn."

He didn't smile or anything. The look on his face was of stone and eerie.

"Thought I'd drop by," he said, motioning for a waiter. He needed a hard drink or two and fast after the day he had.

Phil looked utterly unimpressed but what could he do?

He could take advantage of Finn's unexpected arrival though and perk Sasha's interest into his previous offer.

"We were talking about you actually," Phil said to Finn which garnered his interest.

"How so?"

"Bringing a little bit of the Florida sun this way, in our territory."

"My territory is about an eight hour flight from here," Finn mumbled, peeking up once the waiter returned with two glass of whiskey.

"You know what I mean," Phil scolded, "What do you think about it?"

"Don't know... Brings up a lot of history, you know?"

"Think of it as a resurrection we can actually make happen. My operation alone in Chicago can bust out more product than you'd know what to do with. Your connection with the arms in good ol' Irishville is a perfect compliment... Sasha hear can help with expanding our entire operation."

Finn chugged his first drink, gently placing the empty glass in front of him. "So what you're saying is you wanna bring back the ol' gun and blow trade again and actually make it what it was supposed to be?"

"Yes, all three of us... We can make something great. Something powerful."

Finn thought about it. Money was his number one but if it meant spending more time around these parts to oversee production and potentially lock in new deals then he was all for it... Especially since he hadn't found Alex yet.

"I'll see what I can do," Sasha said. She knew this is what her higher ups had wanted for the longest time with Colby and Alberto when they were tied with the Irish.

"Good girl," Phil said, raising his glass to toast with Sasha.

Finn quickly drank his second glass of whiskey, placing it beside the other empty one before he stood to his feet. He extended his hand to Sasha and she shook it but he didn't bother to acknowledge Phil like usual.

"Leaving so soon?" He asked happily.

Finn nodded. "Yeah... Got stuff to do," he mumbled before leaving the private dining room- contemplating his return to Alex' home.


	8. Chapter 8

I don't own anything but my character Alex.

/

Finn wasn't stupid. He knew exactly who Sasha was and who she associated with aside from her people- Colby.

Long before Bray toyed with his mind, he knew Sasha and Colby had become quite close. She was the mouth piece of one of the biggest gangs in the business and he remembered Alberto telling him of an impending business relationship Colby was trying to form behind Sheamus' back. The West Coast Samoans were luxurious and now that Phil was bringing over his contacts, Finn didn't think this partnership was all bad.

Aligning with Sasha and the rest would be monumental, a step up on the pedestal... And he could get to Colby easily and end what he was sought out to do over a year ago.

But quite honestly, that was the last thing on Finn's mind. Once he left the restaurant, he went to the one place he frequented most since coming back to Ohio- Alex's home.

It was dark, past eleven thirty when he pulled up across the street. He was dressed in all black, his head hooded as he walked up to the front door. Jon's car was gone and it was Friday night- the kids were at their mom and dad's house for the weekend.

But Alex was home alone... Finn was sure of it and he needed to see her again.

So he picked the lock to the front door, slipping into the house undetected. By now he knew his way around the house, carefully and quietly making his way up the stairs to Alex's bedroom. She was sleeping so peacefully- the window open just like the last time he was there.

This time though he slipped into the bed, hesitating at first to touch her. Almost every ounce of his being screamed for him to do so but of course the nagging little voice in his head disagreed. He wasn't quite prepared for what would happen if she woke to him in the bed.

But he did it anyways.

His hand lingered at her arm, feeling her cool skin against his warm finger tips. She leaned into him, pressing her back against his front. He shuddered, the feeling alone making him harden.

He couldn't keep himself from pressing his lips against her bare back as he let his fingers slowly and gently roam up and down her sides, underneath her shirt. A silent moan escaped his lips as her hips moved back and forth, unknowingly grinding her ass against him. Finn grew uncomfortable, his pants tightening even more. Even in her sleep, in complete obliviousness to his existence, she drove him insane.

"Alex," he whispered, letting his lips delicately wander over her shoulders, and down her back as he settled between her thighs. Her breathing

laboured as he slipped his hand underneath her frilly shorts and underwear, his fingers slowly gliding across her sensitive spot. He pulled back but the feeling of her heart racing changed his mind.

He'd missed the intimacy he shared with her- he missed the feel, her taste, even the sweet sounds she made. He remembered every detail so perfectly and this moment made him regret every wrong doing.

Finn reluctantly stopped his play, instead pulling her close, his arms wrapped around her middle. There was only one problem- one he discovered the first time he broke into the house. She was pregnant. There was no doubt about it. And why wouldn't she be? She had such a picture perfect life now- a house, a family. It was completely different of the life she used to live with Finn.

It made him angry... Pissed off actually.

"Goddamn it," he mumbled, his voice at an all time low.

None of this would have happened if he would have let Finn take her with him and Bray that night when they were planning to leave Ohio. Alex would have been with him and that could have been his baby instead.

Finn continued to be more determined than ever.

Everything that happened before- the way he acted, the shooting- it didn't matter anymore. Alex was and would continue to be everything to him and no one would get in his way this time.

Not Bray or Colby, and certainly not Jon.

xXx

"We should be back at about ten thirty, eleven at the latest," Jon said, tugging his jacket though his arms. He messed with the collar of his shirt and his hair in the mirror beside the front door, probably his millionth time doing so.

He'd been in complete shambles knowing the stake out of sorts was commencing the next day- Nick and some others watching over Alex's work and basically following her every move incase Finn appeared.

So to ease the tension, he was taking Alex out on a romantic excursion- something he figured he owed her after thrusting her back into danger.

And because there was something he needed to do... Something long overdue.

"Don't worry about a thing," Bayley said, so chipper and with a huge grin on her face, "We've got everything under control."

"Just make sure you have everything under control," Kylie added, nudging Cameron who smiled brightly at his dad.

Jon knelt to their level, looking at both of them. "Wish me luck."

"Good luck," Cameron whispered, high fiving Jon.

Instead, Kylie leaped into his arms. "Good luck, dad."

The warm feeling inside Jon grew as he hugged her back. He felt so fortunate to have her as his step daughter and thankful they shared a bond aside from her and her own father, Randy.

"Thanks sweetheart," he whispered into her ear, just as Alex descended down the stairs to see the heart wrenching moment.

"You look beautiful," Bayley said, the focus on Alex holding her little bump of a belly. Jon actually found himself speechless- she was glowing aside from beauty.

Her hair was pinned up intricately, a few strands hanging around her gorgeous face. She wore a dark maroon coloured dress and a leather jacket, complete with black heels. A smirk pulled at his lips as he looked her up and down, sending a blush across her cheeks.

"Thanks," Alex said, trying to ignore Jon's gaze.

"Are we ready?" Jon asked, feeling every pocket of his jacket.

"Yep."

Kylie shot Jon a thumbs up when her mom wasn't looking, Bayley exchanging a suspicious glance between her and Cam.

"We'll tell you after," Cameron mouthed and Bayley just nodded, knowing quite well something major and exciting was going on.

"We'll see you later," Alex smiled while being pulled out the door by Jon, "Be good for Bayley!"

"Don't worry about a thing. Have fun!" Bayley said, closing the door behind them.

"So where are we going?" Alex asked, resting against the car door as Jon took the opportunity to press his body against hers, stealing a lustful kiss.

"Told you," he breathed, forehead resting against hers, "It's a surprise."

"You and your surprises..."

"You love it."

Jon drove them to one of the nicest restaurants in town, Alex immediately knowing something was up. She should have known earlier since Jon was actually dressed up. But she left her assumptions as they were and followed him through the doors, to their table.

"You look perfect, baby," Jon complimented.

"You talking to me or the actual baby?" Alex teased.

He smirked. "I'm actually talking about you."

Alex blushed, the mood around them just adding to the warm feeling inside her. The candles lit and flowers between them screamed romance and Jon's hand grabbing for hers from across the table was absolutely the icing on the cake.

"Fuck it... I was gonna do this later on, but seeing you sitting across from me in all this, I'm not waiting any longer," Jon said, letting his hand fall from hers as he stood to his feet.

Alex watched in excitement as he knelt beside her, grabbing her hands in his.

"Holy shit," she couldn't help but whisper, the moment so surreal.

"I've been in love with you since the moment I first saw you, Alex. So in love with you... You've brought so much life into mine," he smirked, staring at her belly.

"We've been through a lot and I never wanna spend a second without you... I wanna spend the rest of my life with you and our family."

Alex cupped her hand on his cheek, smiling and keeping her tears at bay as she listened on.

"So answer me this, Alexandra Marie Taylor... Will you marry me?"

Without a word, Alex grabbed him by his cheeks, pulling him in as she placed her lips on his for a kiss. "Yes, of course I will, Jon."

Placing that ring on her finger felt so right and so long overdue. He'd never been so sure about anything in his life, especially giving marriage another shot with the woman he loved and vowed to protect with his own life.

xXx

"You got three days," Phil ordered, "Three days and we're outta here... Get your shit together, finish whatever the hell you came here for and we're gone."

Finn gritted his teeth, gripping the steering wheel in his grasp as he listened to Phil's irritating voice radiating from his phone. There was no way he could leave especially in three days time. It was damn near impossible just the thought of leaving Alex after finally finding her.

"Yeah, yeah," Finn mumbled back, his foot pressing the gas pedal in frustration.

He was pissed off, more so at himself than Phil, surprisingly.

 _'If you want her, get her,'_ the pestering voice inside his head echoed, _'this is your last chance.'_

"We need to get things starting in Chicago if we wanna add more to our revenue, Finn. I'm sure you understand."

 _Fuck you, you bastard._

Finn rolled his eyes, speeding down the highway with absolutely no care in the world. He was weaving in and out of every lane, past every car that stood in his way. At this point he had nothing to say to Phil, what so ever, lying about calling him later instead.

He hung up, throwing his cell onto the passenger's seat beside him. It was like the stupid thing was staring him in the face from a was away and again he grabbed it, dialling Bray's number quickly.

"Yeah?"

"We're leaving in three days," Finn announced, the words bitter.

"But... I want Alex. I'm not leaving without her, not again."

Bray sighed. "How's that possible, Finn?"

"I'll make it happen, but I'll need your help. And Braun too."

There would have been no way to talk Finn out of it so Bray agreed.

Sirens blared and Finn's eyes darted to the rear view mirror, seething once he saw a cop car approach. "Fuck sakes," was the last thing Bray heard before the call was disconnected.

Finn pulled over to the side of the road, waiting for the cop to approach his side and give him the usual spiel.

 **"License and registration."**

Finn handed him his card and papers, staring out in front of him.

 **"Do you know how fast you were going?"**

"Fast enough for you to stop me," Finn answered. The cop didn't like his attitude or the snickered laughter erupting from Finn once he was asked to step out of the car.

"Really?"

 **"Didn't hear me the first time?"**

Finn chuckled again but he abided by the cop's orders. He stepped out of the car, squinted past the blinding high beams to see the cop car empty. He didn't have a partner with him which would have made it a hell of a lot easier getting out of the soon to be messy situation.

 **"Hands on the car."**

But Finn didn't move.

 **"Hands on the car!"**

It took Finn just a second to reach inside his jacket pocket to pull out his gun, fatally shooting the cop in the neck with a single shot. He dropped to the ground, bleeding out like a stuck pig while Finn realized what the hell he just did.

"Fuck," he muttered, jumping back into his car, pounding at the steering wheel.

He'd just shot the fucker in front of a more than likely working dash cam in the cop car. He was fucked... If he didn't stash his car or switch the plates... But his face. He was sure his face would be seen clear as day even in the darkness that was the night.

He fucked up and now it would be known he was definitely back in town.


	9. Chapter 9

I apologize for any spelling errors! Hope you enjoy, xo

/

"That's him..."

"You can hardly make out any features."

"Are you blind? Look at it! That's him."

Jon was furious Nick couldn't decipher the images that clearly depicted Finn murdering the cop from a week ago. Dash cams were a godsend and the fact that Finn appeared in video only proved Jon's theory about him back in town.

"Okay, okay," Nick said in agreeance for Jon's sake. "So if that really is him, there's no way in hell he's still hanging around town after that. I mean, no one is that stupid."

"This isn't about smarts," Jon pointed out, "He doesn't care about any of that... He's come here for one thing and he ain't leaving till he gets it."

"You've got the most sought out girlfriend ever," Nick commented.

"Fiancé, actually."

"You guys are engaged?"

Jon nodded. "Yep..."

"Man! Good for you! Got a lot going for you these days!"

"Yeah... On top of my lovely love life, I got a fucking psychopath trying to take it all away from me," Jon sighed.

"Jon... We're gonna find him so that doesn't happen," Nick reassured in all seriousness.

For the last week, Nick had been stationed outside of Alex's work, her school where she was finishing up night classes and just about anywhere else she frequented hoping Finn would be lurking. But nothing... No sign of him what so ever.

Once Jon studied the dash cam video for himself he figured Finn was laying low since he killed a police officer point blank. But even that wouldn't drive him away... Not without Alex since she was the ultimate reason behind his return.

So maybe it was about smarts after all... Finn was a smart guy, at least now he was. But Jon was certain he'd slip up, fuck up his whereabouts and low key life.

It was only a matter of time really and the longer these stake outs took, Jon would be sitting beside Nick every chance he got even if Hunter did deem him a threat.

But he didn't care. Jon defiled orders, anyways, accompanying Nick on another patrol of Alex, this time on a lunch date with Nicole before they headed back to the house to talk baby stuff.

Jon sighed at the thought, missing Alex like never before.

He'd been so consumed with finding Finn, burying himself in anything remotely threatening to the area of Cincinnati- anything he could possibly tie Finn and others too. It was his best bet at a quick bust to lock him up, so he'd be away from his family. But Jon wasn't that lucky. So he spent most of his time inside the unmarked cop car, simply letting Alex believe he was so tied up with work.

This lie was like another nail in the coffin for Jon. The only thing keeping him going was the constant reminder that every single lie kept her safe for the time being until Finn did in fact turn up. And he would.

"She looks so happy," Nick pointed out as they watched Alex and Nicole leaving the restaurant, descending down the sidewalk to the back parking lot.

That only made Jon feel worse, like at any given moment her happiness would in fact diminish. "I know she does..."

"Wait... Does that one look suspicious to you?" Nick asked, pointing out a tall figure dressed all in black, following the girls.

Jon shot up, his eyes locked in on the mysterious figure. He couldn't see a face but no doubt, it could be Finn.

He didn't think as he opened the car door, Nick shouting. "Jon! Don't do it man! If he sees you, there's no telling what could happen! And I'll get in shit for even letting you stand watch with me!"

Jon huffed, thinking for a second. But Alex was more important than getting chewed out. "Go around the back."

Nick groaned as the car door slammed shut. All he could do was drive his car around the block, slowly, following Jon who followed the three down the street. He kept his distance, even pulled his hood over his head. With his hands shoved in his jacket pockets, his fists balled as he fought the urge to sprint and tackle this asshole.

Just as Alex and Nicole turned the corner, the man crossed the street instead. Jon stopped in his tracks, at a crossroads himself. Maybe it was a set up- maybe Finn had others to lure him away from this suspect while others ambushed Alex and Nicole. Anything was possible at this point and every scenario crossed Jon's mind.

He felt the buzzing feel from his phone in his pocket, pulling it out quickly as he too crossed the street, his decision made. "Yeah?"

"What's going on?" Nick asked.

"You tell me? Alex and Nicole make it to their car?"

"Yep... They're driving out now. No ones following them but the other squad car."

Jon breathed a sigh of relief. "Good," he mumbled, looking down the street to emptiness. The man was gone as if he vanished into thin air.

"Where's that guy?" Nick asked.

"He's gone."

"Think we jumped the gun."

"I don't care," Jon grumbled, "Come round and pick me up."

"Yes, your majesty," Nick chuckled, oblivious to Jon's obvious lack of humour in such a situation.

"Where to next?"

"The station... I'm going to analyze the dash cam footage there before this whole stake out gives me a goddamn heart attack."

"So you're finally going to trust me looking after Alex on my own?" Nick asked, pure sarcasm spitting out of his mouth.

Jon was the least pleased. "Don't push it," he warned, staring down the sidewalk one last time before ending the call, slipping his cell back into his jacket as he waited for Nick to pull up.

xXx

"Oh my God, I still can't believe you guys are finally engaged!" Nicole gushed, reeling from the announcement Alex shared over lunch.

The news alone filled Nicole with excitement and joy, just how Alex felt especially beginning work on the baby's room... Even if it was a little early.

"Nicole, I'm excited, I really am but don't you think it's a little early putting together the baby's room? I mean, we don't even know if it's a boy or girl yet," Alex pointed out.

Nicole scoffed. "It is never too early...

Trust me."

"You sure?"

"Duh... This is our time to shine since the guys had all the fun making 'em," Nicole teased.

Alex smiled as the brunette placed a few paint samples against the plain white wall, determined a pale yellow over a grey colour would suffice. Since returning to Alex and Jon's home, the two spent a fare amount of time cleaning out the spare bedroom- Nicole insisting a shopping and ice cream trip the following day.

"If you've already talked me into starting my own baby's room, I bet yours is already done," Alex laughed.

"I wish... We still have to move Joe's office downstairs so the baby's room will be beside our room," Nicole said, hand on her small bump of a stomach.

"But getting Joe started on it is a whole other story," she added, "He's been so busy these days."

"Jon too," Alex mumbled, sadness to her voice. "He just seems on edge, like somethings wrong."

"Joe was like that when I first told him I was pregnant with Isabelle... There was some huge case at the time and he got so wrapped up in it even before we got pregnant. It's just how they are... The stress of everything can be a little too much to handle," Nicole offered, thinking back to Joe's rough patch.

"I figured maybe that's what it was."

"Don't let it get to you... You and the little bean don't need any stress."

Alex smiled. "The whole avoiding stress thing isn't going to work if you're here, bossing me around about my baby's room."

Nicole rolled her eyes. "I'm not bossy... I'm opinionated."

"Sure," Alex giggled, pulling open the closet doors. She was expecting more of a clutter than what was found, but for the most part the closet contained some small boxes she assumed were Jon's since they were filled with paperwork.

"Where does Jon want all of this anyways?" Nicole asked, leaning against the closet door.

Alex shrugged, her arms folded across her chest. "I don't know. He said not to worry about it but it's only a couple boxes. I think we can manage it."

Nicole nodded, grabbing a few boxes thinking they would look great in Jon's office. "Away I go," she sang, carrying the boxes down the stairs to the small room across from the kitchen.

In the closet, Alex's eyes stumbled upon a bunch of folded white envelopes hanging from the top of one of the shelves as if someone had stashed them. She was curious of course, grabbing them in her hand to inspect what and where they were from.

 ** _Alexandra Taylor_** **,** they were marked.

And they were addressed to her old apartment and building.

But no name accompanied the return address all the way from Florida.

"Florida?" Alex whispered, mentally scanning her brain for any long lost relatives or friends who might have lived there. But nothing... She could think of absolutely no one to fit the description. It was strange she'd received a stack of letters from Florida.

Nicole's footsteps could be heard from outside the room and Alex immediately panicked. She shoved the bunch back into the spot she found them and grabbed the remainder of Jon's boxes, shutting the door behind her.

"Is that the last of them?" Nicole asked.

"Uh, yeah," Alex nodded, following her out the room.

"That's all of them."

She wondered who the letters were from and why they were addressed to her. But why did Jon go to so much trouble in collecting the letters from her old place? Why had he kept them from her? What did he not want her to see? Every question imaginable popped into her head and it wasn't like she could rip open every single letter in front of Nicole.

Waiting till later, once Nicole left and the kids returned home from school only to be picked up by Randy and Lauren, seemed impossible. Those letters called her name from their tiny pace in the closet. And certainly she would uncover what Jon had been hiding from her this entire time.

xXx

 _Alexandra,_

 _It's me. I made it out to the sunny state. I'm alive and I'm okay._

 _And I hope you're okay too._

 _I hope this letter reaches you, Alex... Wherever you are._

 _I know I have no business trying to contact you after everything I put you through but I need to hear from you._

 _It's been too long._

 _Let me know you're okay and you're living the life I desperately hoped you would._

 _Please._

 ** _CL._**


	10. Chapter 10

Re-uploaded so its now readable... Sorry about that!

/

 _There she was walking down the street, plain as day and in perfect sight unlike him._

 _A quick glance was all Colby needed._

 _Alex was so radiant and full of life, such a difference from the last time he'd seen her- those beautiful dark eyes and hair setting her apart from the other brunette by her side._

 _Colby licked his lips and quickened his speed down the side walk, weaving in and out of the crowd of people littered in his way. Alex might have well been ten feet away, talking and laughing so carefree like. That's when it hit him like a crushing strike to the stomach- she was happy._

 _He wasn't jealous or envious of the life she was living. In fact, it was the total opposite. Finn was coming for her and it was only a matter of time until the happiness would be wiped from her face, and her life. That's when he sped up, determined somehow to garner her attention even if he was trying to play incognito._

 _He might have gotten a few feet closer but in the corner of his eye he saw Jon. He was charging towards them and Colby freaked._

 _Their last encounter was a bloody one- a war of all wars with the Irish and Bray._

 _And it was the night Jon let him go, willingly._

 _If Jon wanted him out of town, far away, it wasn't to save his ass. It was to save Alex._

 _He figured that's why Alex never wrote back._

 _Maybe she never got the letters in the first place. The more he thought about it, the more it made sense because he knew if the roles were reversed, Alex would be sheltered from the past._

 _So he stuck his hands in his jacket pockets and continued, crossing the street instead of following Alex to the back parking lot._

 _He blew his chance and he'd forever kick himself for doing so. He let her go on her merry way, with no warning and no way to protect herself from the inevitable._

 _He took a right into a coffee shop, standing in line and thanking God others followed suit behind him incase Jon scoped the sidewalk or little shops aligning the street. Right then and there he devised some sort of Plan B._

 _Tonight, he was going to Alex and Jon's house completely unannounced whether Jon was there or not. He didn't care anymore._

 _Time was fleeting._

 _Alex needed to know what was going on and how much danger she was already in head first._

xXx

Jon pulled into the driveway a lot later then expected- tied up behind his desk once Joe mentioned a drug bust the next town over. He dug into it as much he could, turning up short and damn tired.

He dragged his feet up the stairs and turned the key in the lock, opening the door as quietly as he could. The kids were gone for the weekend but he was sure Alex would be sound asleep.

Jon chucked his jacket on the stairs, kicked off his boots and climbed the stairs, about ready to crash once his bed came into sight. But as he approached the bedroom, a ray of light shined through the bottom of the door. Alex was awake which Jon found strange. So far the pregnancy sucked the life out of her and she'd been dead asleep even before Jon came home. She even had a tough time keeping up with her night classes.

Slowly he turned the handle, pushing open the door with an unpleasant creak.

His heart felt as though it fell to the floor at the sight of her- seated on the bed with pieces of paper and opened envelopes scattered on top of the sheets. She didn't even bother looking up to see who entered the room, too consumed with the words jumping off the letters from a year ago.

"You found them," Jon mumbled, unable to move from his place in the doorway.

Alex stayed silent, a nod of the head answering him instead. She couldn't make anything of her emotions just yet. At first she was angry, having been kept in the dark for over a year. She owed so much to Colby. He took care of her and Kylie long before Jon came into the picture. It was like she was in his debt.

But then she felt sad. Jon had kept this huge secret from her. They had a family, a baby on the way and marriage in the cards... She was beginning to question what else, if anything, he was keeping from her.

"Why did you keep these from me?" Alex croaked. Her voice sounded so sad, so confused that it even pained Jon.

"Why?" She whispered.

"I had to." Jon's response was simple and it didn't sit well with Alex.

"What do you mean you had to? You have to hide things from me?"

Jon sighed. He knew this day would come. In fact he'd mentally prepare himself for this day when he first slipped the stack of envelopes in the closet. But no matter the preparation, Jon could never underestimate Alex' reaction because he did in fact hide a vital part of her past from her.

"Alex... I did it to protect you."

"Protect me from what?" Leah asked, her voice raised, "Colby's not the bad guy."

Dean clenched his teeth. He wasn't so keen on agreeing. "He's the goddamn reason why everything happened to you, Alex."

"You know quite well who was responsible for that," Alex muttered, her voice sharp as broken glass, "Colby wasn't..."

"He's the reason you got caught up in all that shit before, Alex. You were the Irish' play thing, waiting on them hand and foot no matter what because of him... He's the reason you almost died! Don't you try and tell me otherwise!"

Jon couldn't even control the tone of his voice as the thought of a year ago popped in his head. Alex was taken aback, having never experienced Jon so heated. He sensed it too, letting out a sigh as he was frustrated with himself.

"Alex..."

"You can't take it back, Jon," she said, her voice above a whisper, "It's what you've been feeling this entire time, I know it is. You haven't been the same since that night."

No words needed to be said from Jon's end. He just listened as Alex continued, unable to keep her eyes off the letters.

"Yes, I got shot and yes, I almost died." Their eyes finally met as she recounted the day, the pain being shared between them. "But I'm here because of you AND Colby... I owed it to him to let him know I was okay, I lived! But you deprived that of me. You hid all of this away like a secret it didn't need to be."

"I didn't do it to hurt you," Jon defended.

"But you did it to protect me? From someone whose known me and been there for me longer than you?" Alex snipped.

"Alex..."

"No, Jon... I don't understand why you would do this. Are you hiding anything else from me?"

Bad timing and all, Jon's cellphone began to rig and vibrate inside his pant pocket. He could have thrown the device against the wall and watch in amazement as it chattered if it weren't for the name Hunter appearing on the screen.

"Shit," Jon mumbled, swiping to accept the call.

The entire time his eyes locked with Alex as he nodded and mumbled an "okay" and "yeah", his mind registering that he needed to get his ass to the station since they found Finn's car.

"You have to go, don't you?" Alex whispered, already knowing the answer. She hated the fact that their issues would be left unresolved till he came home, again. Now she would be left picking through the wreckage.

Jon only nodded, slipping his phone back into his pocket.

"I wish you'd tell me what's going on..."

"I did, Alex."

She shook her head. Her intuition screamed suspicions. "No... He isn't the real reason."

"What?" Jon was caught off guard.

"You're back with the DEA, you're working yourself to the bone, I'm just discovering one year old letters from someone who was my closest friend," Alex named, all her revelations leading to two possibilities.

"Either you've been keeping me from Colby because he's your number one target, which makes no sense... Or **he's** back." The look of horror on her face was real, like she'd seen a ghost... Or rather, sensed one.

"It's Finn, isn't it? This is all because of Finn," she panicked, "He's alive isn't he?"

His girl was smart. Jon didn't even have to prove her theory right with any words. The look on his face spoke volumes instead and before he could explain, his phone rang again.

"Go," Alex said, standing up from the bed. Jon noticed her hands shaking as she contemplated what she was going to do next.

"No. I'm not leaving you alone."

"Jon..."

He pulled her close, his hands on her shoulders. "I'm not leaving," he repeated, "Hunter can wait till I can get you somewhere."

"Has Finn been here?"

Jon paused. He was damn sure the son of a bitch had stepped foot in their house several times.

"Oh my God," Alex whispered, shaking even more. Her head spun, her stomach twisting with sickness as the thought of Finn defiling her happy home while the kids slept. She no longer felt safe- her sanctuary no more.

"I'll get you to a hotel," Jon said, quickly coming up with some kinda plan he hoped to God would work. "You'll stay there. I'll get Nick to stay with you till I'm done at the station."

Alex nodded. It seemed like too much- like a huge inconvenience for everyone- but Jon wasn't a risk taker when it came to Alex... At least, not anymore.

xXx

"Nick's on his way," Jon mumbled, running his tired eyes. It was way past 1am by the time he checked Alex into a hotel downtown. The entire drive he made sure they weren't being followed- playing it safe. He even checked in with a dummy name, explaining he was DEA and needed to lay low for obvious reasons.

He yawned for what was like the millionth time, sitting on the edge of the bed. He turned his head, his eyes peering over Alex curled with the blankets overtop and barely able to keep her eyes open. "Okay," she whispered, closing her eyes.

Jon's fingers stroked her cheek slowly. "I should have told you about Colby sooner... And Finn."

"You try to save me from so much... Keeping me from the inevitable," Alex said, "But this will always be our life until Finn is actually dead or locked away."

Jon couldn't hide the look on his face once she uttered 'dead' regarding the guy who was now making his life and hers a living hell.

"I'm sorry," was all he could say.

Alex opened her eyes slowly, her hand on top of Jon's cupping her cheek. "I understand why you did what you did... It's in your nature, Jon."

He leaned in, placing a soft kiss on her forehead. "I love you... Get some sleep. Nick'll get a key from the front desk."

"Okay," Alex nodded, her eyes closing again.

"I love you."

With that, Jon stole a kiss before he reluctantly left the hotel room- leaving Alex' well being in the hands of his two time partner Nick. He shivered from the thought but still made it out the hotel doors and into his car, down the street and to the station.

Alex couldn't have been sleeping for anything longer than fifteen-twenty minutes before she was awaken by a knock at the door. Her eyes opened slowly, scoping out her surroundings before she sat up in the dimly lit room. Once she got out of the bed, she pulled at her tank top to cover her baby belly and dragged her feet to the door. She wondered if Nick had forgotten to pick up the key at front desk, the only logical explanation behind the knock at the door.

She didn't even bother peeking through the peephole, yawning instead as she opened the door- in complete shock as to who stood behind it.

The man she hadn't seen in over a year's time.

She gasped, swinging open the door and lunging into his arms.

"Colby," she whispered, pulling his close while a million and one questions about his whereabouts and how he found her filled her head.


	11. Chapter 11

"How did you find me?" Alex whispered, her arms wrapped around Colby, afraid he'd slip away so easily again. Her hands trembled, the shock riding over her like crazy. She still couldn't believe he stood in the door way. He hadn't changed a bit since last year and of course he couldn't say the same about her.

Alex was pregnant. That small bump of a belly pressed against him was a dead give away, obviously. He smiled but that infectious grin was wiped free from his face, the thought alone of Alex' impending fate imminent.

"I got my ways," Seth whispered back, "I was at your place before you left with Jon... I needed to talk to you."

"You're here because of Finn, aren't you?" Alex guessed, hitting the bulls eye. She finally forwards her grip on Colby, pulling back. "Jon lied to me, about him. About you."

"I could understand why, Alex," Colby mumbled, pointing to her belly. "He was trying to protect you and what you've got. I'd do the same thing if some psychopath was after you."

"He's really alive, isn't he?" Alex asked, tears welling in her eyes, "And he's coming for me..."

"He's still kicking around... He wants what he didn't get last time- business wise. But he's not getting close to you."

"Jon told me everything... He was in my house. He found out where I live with the kids. Who knows if he followed me here just like you did," Alex panicked.

"No one followed you except for me..."

"How can you be so sure?"

Colby grabbed a hold of her hands in an attempt to calm her down. Staring into her eyes, he was about to make a promise he intended to keep this time around. "Trust me when I say this time will be different... I won't let anything happen to you. Jon wont either. That's why he brought you here and that's why I'm here. I have eyes on Finn now- I know where he's going, who he's seeing and where he's going next."

"How?" Alex breathed.

"Sasha... She made a deal with Finn and his guy the other night. They're running things together- in and out of Florida and Chicago now. As long as she's in with them, I am too."

"Does he know?"

Colby shook his head. "As far as I know... No. And I plan on keepin' it that way till I get to him. He's not getting away this time. He's gonna slip up and either Jon or I will kill him. You know that."

"I know," Alex nodded, that scary look in Jon's eyes the entire way to the hotel confirming Colby's statement. Jon was dead set on execution. Policing didn't matter when it came to Alex or his kids and the danger they faced.

"Shit... You have to go." Alex remembered Jon had Nick coming to join her at the hotel. She didn't want some awkward run in or for Jon to find out just yet.

"Give me your phone," Colby said. He programmed his number into her device, as did she. "If anything happens, you call me right away."

"Okay."

He pulled her into a hug again, holding onto her tightly not because he feared it was the last time he'd see her but because he truly missed her. A year away was too long of a time and now that their secret reunion was cut short, Colby wanted nothing more than to break the rules and show up whenever he wanted... Whenever he could. But he knew that wasn't possible. He really was wanted in the area for questioning concerning his club since Alberto and Becky shot up the place. Getting caught by the cops would only bring up a round house of other questions like the old warehouse full of contraband. He'd be fucked but he questioned himself if it was really worth it to see Alex and protect her like he failed at doing so long ago.

"I'm sorry about the letters," she whispered, guilt rising over. "If I would have known, I-"

"Alex," he interjected, "It's okay... Now I know for sure you're well protected. That's all I ever wanted for you."

The two stood in silence, Colby reluctant to even leave. But he figured since an officer was on his way to stay with Alex he'd have a better chance scoping the area for any sighting of Finn.

"Ill be around. But you call me if you need me," Colby instructed, leaving the room on full alert. The hall to the elevator was completely empty, or so he thought.

"Who is that?" Nick whispered from his place around the corner by the door leading the stair well, the opposite side of the hall where Colby walked down.

It couldn't have been Finn. Even though he'd only seen his grainy image from a dash cam he knew for a fact it wasn't him.

Nick quickly bolted to Alex' hotel room once he heard the elevator doors opening and closing. He had his gun ready as he slipped his key card into the door, fearing the worst. Pausing, he took a deep breath and peered around the door to nothingness. She wasn't in the bed.

"Alex?" He called out, lowly. He searched every side of the bed, even underneath. He heard some ruffling coming from the bathroom, so he held his gun outwards, ready to shoot.

"Woah!" Alex shouted, hands up as she exited. Her heart pounded in her chest and Nick quickly shoved his gun into the holster, face palming himself.

"Shit, I'm sorry, I'm sorry... I thought you were someone else!"

"Who else would it be?! You're the only one beside's Jon that has a key."

Nick folded his arms across his chest. "You and I both know that's not true."

"What do you mean?" She asked, her back turned to him as she fumbled around in her purse. Biting her lip, she knew she'd been caught.

"I saw someone come out of this room just as I got on the floor... Who was he?" Nick pressed.

Stuck in a corner, Alex couldn't lie her way out of nothing now. With a sigh, she stared at the ground. "Don't tell Jon until I do, but... It was Colby."

He paused. The name so fresh in his memory. "So that's Lopez?"

He knew all about him thanks to Jon.

xXx

"Where's Alex?" Joe asked, yawn after yawn escaping his lips. He'd been awaken from a peaceful slumber- Nicole nudging him repeatedly. She tiredly shoved his cell in his face, going back to sleep herself. That's when he popped out of bed having heard that Finn's car had been spotted and picked up- on its way to the station for examination.

"She's at the Hilton with Nick..." Jon trailed off, searching through the backseat of the car with his eyes peeled.

"Why is she there?" Antonio asked, unaware the shit had finally hit the fan.

"She found out about Finn and how the fucker isn't really dead," Joe informed him.

"I told you it'd come back and bite you in the ass," Antonio said, oh so matter of factly. If Jon hadn't been completely enveloped in his search he would have smacked Antonio senseless.

"That isn't the only thing I kept from her," Jon mumbled, stepping out of the car with a sigh. So far he found absolutely no physical evidence except for finger prints he was sure belonged to Finn.

"What else could you possibly keep from the poor girl?"

Jon smoothed out his messy hair, kicking his foot against the car, his ear trained for any compartments. "Colby... The guy who owned the club she worked at," he said, continuing his way around the car. "I kept his letters from her."

Antonio kneeled inside the passengers seat, doing the same as Jon- checking for any hollowed out compartments. "She too smart for you, Jon... It was only a matter of time that she'd figure it out," Antonio said. Jon ignored him, falling to his knees to check the underneath of the car. He was desperate- not just for evidence but vindication. Jon knew he fucked up by withholding Alex' right to know of Colby even if he was deemed a criminal. The last thing he wanted was to be reminded of his fault, over and over.

Just as he approached the other side of the hood, a hollow sound seemed to echo throughout the garage once Antonio knocked his fist against the inside door panel. Jon rounded the car like a hawk, moving Antonio out of the way so he could inspect. There was a tiny black, metal loop- perfectly hidden from the untrained eye. With a hard yank, Jon had the tiny compartment door open, two little black booklets and white tickets staring him back.

"What'd you find?" Joe asked, fighting off another yawn.

"Passports and airplane tickets."

Jon held up the booklets, waving them around. With his gloved fingers, he opened them- the first clearly Finn's but the other for Alex. Her full name, date of birth, everything of importance included but the picture a complete doppelgänger- not Alex but close.

"Jesus Christ... He's got it all planned out," Jon muttered, squeezing the plane tickets marked for Las Vegas.

xXx

Sitting around the hotel room was starting to get to Alex. It had been almost two days and she was going stir crazy, the same four walls caving her in, almost impossible to breathe at this point.

Nick was fast asleep on the ottoman across from the bed, snoring like he hadn't slept in years. He'd been at the hotel since the very first night, on high alert per Jon's orders. After finding the plane tickets to Las Vegas, Jon was convinced Finn's plan included kidnapping Alex. So he'd been combing the entire city, running on zero sleep and dozens of cups of coffee.

 _'You don't let her leave for anything, Nick.'_

 _'Well, you don't have much faith in me.'_

 _'I'm fucking serious... It's worse than I thought.'_

 _'What're we dealing with?'_

 _'A fucking angry cop if she gets outta your sight... He had passports and plane tickets in that car. He was gonna take her to Vegas.'_

 _'Jesus...'_

Even though Alex didn't hear the full extent of the conversation but she knew it wasn't good. None of it was- hiding out in a hotel room the perfect first example.

But she couldn't take it anymore.

Alex missed her kids and Jon... But the distance between herself and Kylie pained hair. It was déjà vu all over again- separation from her daughter till everything blew over.

She couldn't go through with it again which influenced this sudden sense of spontaneous, reckless behaviour Jon would never ever appreciate.

She was going to leave without Nick's knowledge.

 **'Tell Jon I'm sorry. I went to see Kylie,'** the note Alex left read.

Slipping out of the hotel room was easier said and done as Nick was dead to the world. But she shut the door gently for added measure before taking the stairs to the main floor. With no car, she hopped into the first cab parked outside the doors.

 **'185 Vinewood, please.'**

Alex was anxious to get home, pack whatever she could fit into a bag and call Randy- so she could see Kylie. Every now and then Alex would glance at her phone, expecting a phone call or text once Nick discovered the note. But once the cab driver pulled up to her house, she stuck her phone back into her purse.

Slipping the driver a twenty, she stepped out. He soon drove off, Alex walking the stone path to the front door to unlock it. Turning on the hallway light, she shut the door behind her before climbing the stairs to her bedroom to pack.

That's when she heard a creak coming from the darkened room, stopping her in her tracks. "Jon?" She called out, hopeful the mysterious step came from him or at least someone friendly. But there was no way she'd chance it. She bolted down the stairs, ready to exit if it weren't for a shaggy, bearded, familiar figure barricading the door in the now darkened entrance.

"Hey there lovely," that bone chilling voice greeted, radiating through her being.

"So we meet again," he chuckled as she ran through the hall, heading for the backdoor in the kitchen. She panicked, clawing for the lock but she was too late. A large being, his hands gripping her shoulders, pulled her away from the door. He slammed her against the dining room wall- her head rattled against the wood just as hard.

Everything vision wise was a complete blur, Alex hanging in and out of consciousness just as she hit the floor. She saw stars, black spots taking their place. Crawling away from the large man and Bray was an impossible thought as Alex laid there.

"Pick her up," she swore she heard Finn's voice order. Her eyes snapped open as the man did as he was told, grabbing Alex in his arms. As he cradled her, Finn approached- some of his figure visible.

He ran his fingers through her hair, his eyes locked on the girl driving his obsession.

"I found you."


	12. Chapter 12

Nick opened his eyes, the loud snores rumbling from his mouth awakening him from his peaceful slumber in the chair. He blinked a couple times, groaning as he stretched out his arms. He was about to close his eyes again till he noticed the empty bed in front of him.

"Alex?"

Nothing but silence all around. No Alex, none of her belongings either.

"Shit," he shouted, tumbling out of the chair. He stood to his feet, disoriented once he moved his feet around the room in a panic.

"Alex?" He called out again, but to no response.

"Shit... Shit."

Nick pulled out his phone, swiping through to find Alex' number first. But it was a bust- going straight to voicemail. With his phone still pressed to his ear, he ran around the room to inspect. No signs of forced entry or struggle- nada, zilch. It was strange, as if she literally walked out of the room knowing full well what was out there waiting for her if she tried.

"He's going to fucking kill me..." Nick mumbled, swiping for Jon's next.

He was hesitant to even call, knowing full well Jon would have his head if he lost Alex... Which he did. As the phone rang, Nick's palms sweated and he prepared for the Jon's reaction. He could literally feel his heart sink to the pit of stomach after each and every ring.

He held his breath once Jon finally picked up, an aggravated and tired voice filling Nick's ear.

"I got a problem, man." Nick cringed.

"What's going on? Is Alex okay?" Jon panicked. Everyone was panicking- Nick on the verge of a heart attack as he attempted to even utter what the hell was happening.

"Nick!" Jon urged, annoyed the guy was stalling if it really was a big problem. He was having none of it already- running on empty, hours without seeing Alex and his family at home where they oughta be.

And it was only about to get worse.

"It's Alex. She's gone."

Nick heard a thud, like a phone dropping to the floor... Which it did.

On the other end, Jon stood in the middle of the empty office- ready to fall to his knees. His heart leaped out of his chest and sunk to the pit of his stomach in pure fear. Clawing the ground to retrieve his phone, he pressed the device to his ear as he managed to make sense of Nick's reveal?

"Wh-What?" Jon stammered.

"I don't know, man. I woke up and she was gone. None of her stuff is here, it doesn't look like anyone broke into the room. I think she left on her own."

"What? She what?" Jon whispered, feeling like his head was spinning. He grabbed ahold of his desk, trying to stabilize himself as he listened on.

"I don't know, man. She's not here," Nick mumbled, feeling like a piece of shit delivering the unfortunate news.

Jon hung up his phone, unable to listen to anything else. He was out of the station as fast as he could, speeding down the street to the first place he could think of.

 _Home._

xXx

Any attempt at screaming was absolutely useless. Nobody would hear her and if it did attract attention, she knew what Finn and his goons were capable of doing to her.

Alex was bound by her wrists, her mouth taped and placed in the backseat with Finn. Things were still a little foggy- her head pounding from Braun's assault earlier. The entire time they were in the car, she refused to open her eyes. She refused to accept her kidnapping at the hands of those three dangerous men.

"Is it ready?" Finn asked Bray, who pulled up to the airport's runway housing private jets. Bray's response was a nod as he drove past the gate, to one of Phil's jets being loaded with cargo.

Vegas and the fake passports were nothing but a diversion. Finn knew damn well Jon would find them and once Alex was kidnapped, all signs would point to Sin City. With Jon and law enforcement leading a wild goose chase, Finn and Alex would be long gone- in Chicago with Phil, Braun and Bray while business officially began.

The car stopped, Bray and Braun quickly stepping out. They shut the doors behind them and stood on either side where Finn and Alex sat, waiting.

"Don't you dare make a sound," Finn warned as he slowly ripped the tape from Alex' mouth. She did as she was told, her mouth shut while every fibre of her being screamed internally as Finn let his fingers dance across her lips.

"And don't try and run off either... You already know what'll happen if you do," he whispered as he pulled out a blade, cutting Alex' wrists free. He grabbed her hands in his, bringing them close to his lips. Alex squeezed her eyes shut as he placed a kiss on her hands, imagining those piercing eyes on her like glue. That's how it was going to be- Finn never leaving her sight ever again.

He stepped out of the car, going round to Alex' side. She reluctantly stepped out too but froze. Measuring the distance from the car to the terminal, she contemplated running. She could probably make it, run inside and scream her lungs out for help. But guns played a major factor. Finn shot her once and he would do it again if it meant losing her a second time.

"Let's go," he muttered, grabbing her by the arm. She let her feet drag as she was escorted onto the jet. It was only the four of them with the exception of a blonde women dressed in all black, from her leather blazer down to her heels. She barely made eye contact with Alex, this sorta scene familiar.

Bray and Braun sat at the front, Finn and Alex to the back in somewhat privacy. Tears welled in her eyes as the engine started up, moments away from take off to hell. "Please Finn, don't do this..." She pleaded. It was worthless to even reason with a guy like him but she had no other options in sparing her well being. Finn just smirked as he placed his gun on the armrest between them. Alex couldn't help but eye the decision maker while Finn placed his hand on her cheek.

"I've waited this long for you, Alex. I'd be a stupid man to rethink my actions and lose you a second time, don't you think?"

"Finn..." Her voice cracked and low. She was wiling to go out on a limb, her last chance to reason with him. "You... You love me don't you?"

He didn't have to say anything. The fierce look he gave spoke volumes. "If you love me," Alex continued, "Then let me go... Please, Finn."

He smirked, leaning in so he was inches away from Alex' lips. He hovered, his cheek resting against hers. "This is how it's supposed to be... You with me. You're not going anywhere for as long as I'm around, Alex."

"I'm pregnant... I have a family," Alex mumbled but it was no use.

"Do you remember what I told you the last night I saw you? Back in that warehouse?" Finn asked.

 _"I could have bought you expensive clothes and cars... A house... Diamonds and gold... I could have called your little girl my own..."_

As much as Alex tried to forget, she couldn't. With everything about that fateful night memorable, those very words Finn spoke haunted her like a nightmare.

"Yes," Alex answered, almost inaudible.

Finn was handed a glass of Whaley from Bray. He sipped the dark liquor, cradling the glass in his hand as he stared at Alex. "I meant every word back then and I still do. I've waited a long, long time for this and I intend to live up to my word."

Alex attempted to get out of her seat just as the door closed- as if she'd be lucky enough to actually flee. But Finn grabbed her quickly, holding her in his lap. She was so small as his figure shadowed over her, even though he was sitting.

He had a handful of her hair in his hand, pulling so her neck was close to his mouth. "You're still as feisty as I remember ya," he breathed, his hand on her belly. He took it upon himself to let his fingers roam up and down her body, letting them slip underneath her clothing.

"God, I missed you," he whispered, trying to contain himself. Alex could only let herself submit, reminded of the loaded gun just inches away. "All this time I wondered what it would be like to touch you again... To kiss you. To feel you," he said, "That was until I broke into your house a couple weeks ago and seen for myself what I've been missing all this time."

A horrified Alex shivered under Finn's touch, violated beyond belief. He was even sicker than believed to have been, if that was even possible. "Like I said," he continued, "I'd be stupid to give this all up after all the trouble I went through. Right?"

He squeezed her arm, wanting an answer. Tears fell from her eyes as she whispered a faint ' _right.'_

"That's my girl," he mumbled, "You're my girl, right?"

He squeezed her arm again and she had no choice but to answer. "Right."

"And you'll do what I say, right?"

"Right..."

"Good girl," Finn smirked, holding her close as the plane ascended into the sky, on its way to Chicago- miles and miles away from Alex' family and Jon.

xXx

 _Alexandra Marie Taylor. Twenty nine. Long, dark brown hair past her shoulders. Brown eyes. Four, almost five months pregnant. Last seen at the Hilton hotel between the hours of 2-11pm._

The missing persons report had been sent out just mere hours ago, meanwhile Jon was out combing the city himself.

The Cincinnati police informed the Las Vegas PD and now it was just a waiting game till the commercial fight landed- the one Alex and Finn were thought to be on. Jon grew anxious and sick to his stomach with all the waiting. It only made his mind think up the absolute worst.

So he headed home, but it wasn't like he wanted to. The house was so empty, like all the life had been sucked out of it. He dragged his feet up the stairs and through the door, shutting it slowly behind him.

He didn't feel like that's where he belonged. His fiancé, the mother of his soon to be child, had been kidnapped and thrusted into danger yet again. Jon felt like shit- feeling like it was all his fault.

He dragged himself up the stairs to his bedroom, switching on the light. His tired, heavy eyes fixated on the sparkling diamond ring staring him in the face- like a mockery.

Lying on the floor crumbled up and slightly ripped was a note Jon found earlier which was placed directly above Alex' engagement ring. It was short and painful, just as it was intended to be.

 ** _'Don't worry... I'll take good care of her.'_**

That's when Jon broke down. He fell to his knees, grabbing his head while he sobbed- an already broken man shattering into another million pieces.


	13. Chapter 13

Finn walked through the master bedroom, taking in the spectacle that was the life Alex had built since a year ago. Picture frames aligned every wall, some of her little girl, some of Jon's son. The ones that pained his heart the most were the photos of Jon and Alex together, even the little sonogram on the vanity mirror. He could have lost it and trashed the entire room if it weren't for Bray whose voice came from the hallway.

"She's ready." Him and Braun had finished binding Alex' wrist and legs, covering her mouth with tape while Finn ventured off, walling in her new "picturesque" life.

"Bring her here," Finn demanded. Braun walked into the room, a now unconscious Alex dangling in his arms. She looked so tiny against the overly large man. Finn grabbed her left hand in his, glaring at the diamond engagement ring sparkling against the dim light. He slowly slid the glistening ring from her finger, placing it in the middle of the bed along with the note he quickly wrote.

"Car's outside," Bray said, "Pilots are waiting for us and Phil will be expecting us in a couple hours."

"Perfect," Finn mumbled, brushing his fingers along her jaw, encircling the dry droplets of blood from her forehead.

"Just perfect..."

 **X**

Alex had no idea where she was once the jet landed at the airport as a blindfold was placed over her eyes and she was escorted by Bray and Braun to one two black and tinted cars.

"Take Nattie and go," Finn instructed as he grabbed Alex from Braun. The men nodded as Finn led her to the second car parked behind the first, opening the back door. "Get in," he muttered and Alex obliged, doing so.

The first car with The Wyatts and Nattie left first, leading the way for Finn and Alex' to follow. He needed to lay down some ground rules before they arrived at Phil's incase Alex slipped out, potentially putting everything at risk.

"You need to do something for me... Actually, you have to," Finn instructed, "My business partner doesn't necessarily know the kinda trouble I had to go through to bring you here, Alexandra. He doesn't know your involvement, if you will, with the DEA."

"So what do you want from me?" Alex spat.

Finn chuckled. "What I _want_ is for you to make it easier on yourself and not bring up the fact that you lie so closely to one of our biggest enemies, love."

The nickname alone made Alex sick to her stomach and she wasn't having any of Finn's proposition. "And why should I do that? To protect you and pretend you're not that much of a loose, unpredictable cannon that puts his own people at risk?"

"It's not to protect me, trust me... It's to keep you alive because if you so happen to mention you have a family back in Ohio- an agent whose undoubtably looking for you as we speak- then we're going to have an issue on our hands... Your lifeless body."

Alex sat in silence as Finn's seriously dark glare implemented his words. If she stepped out of line, he'd kill her. Even though he spoke of how long he waited for her, it didn't matter. He had no problem killing her like he tried to before. "As for the baby," Finn mumbled, his hand inching closer and closer to her bump concealed underneath her jacket, "I'll give an explanation... So you better go with it, understood?"

His smirk grew as she sat in silence still. Every word he spoke made the reality of the situation more lifelike. All the lies and deception they'd be commuting was like digging themselves their own graves. She'd seen what kind of consequences going against your boss and business partners led to.

"Understood?" Finn asked again, his voice firm. All Alex could do was nod her agreement- her promise to obey Finn's every command.

"It'll be easy," he whispered, turning her face to meet his, "Just like the first night I met you."

He reminisced, the thought alone sending shivers up an down his spine. "You'll submit to everything I say just as you did to make Colby happy..."

Finn let his hand fall from her cheek, his fingers gliding ever so gently across the skin of her neck. "You let me do as I pleased... I tasted you for the first time. I touched you and I fucked you for the first time that night. Those were the days, Alex. And you'll do it again... Submit to me. Everything I say goes."

Alex felt as sharp as she hoped she could muster, slapping his hand away and staring him dead in the eyes. "If you expect me to just lie back and let you fuck me and control me like I don't have a goddamn conscious-"

"Then what?" Finn interrupted with a menacing chuckle, "Tell me... What?"

Alex glared and spoke lowly. "I'm not the same woman you terrorized a year ago."

"Yet here you are making threats you can't promise, unlike me. Now, as I was saying... You follow what I say. You go along with what I say and I promise nothing will happen to you. But if you do step outta line and bring any unwanted attention to me and my business partners, well then, we'll have a repeat of our last encounter together, now won't we?"

As much as she hated herself for it, she closed her mouth and nodded- the entirety of the car ride deafening with silence as Finn held his hand on her thigh. Soon they pulled up to a large gated property planted between towering trees which hid most of the house. A couple shiny black and white cars were parked in front along with the car ridden by The Wyatts and Natalya.

Stepping out of the car, Alex staggered to her feet. She caught a glimpse of the sun peeking through the still darkened sky, wondering if it was going to be the last time she'd step outside if Finn promised to never let her out of his sight again.

With a sigh she let Finn drag her into the house by her hand, the two met by a large bald man dressed in black beside another in a suit- his hair sleek with a ring dangling from his bottom lip.

"Why hello there," the one in a suit greeted, "You must be Alexandra... I'm Phil."

Finn didn't need to remind her of their earlier conversation. She knew how the game worked. She extended her hand and through her tired haze she produced a convincing enough smile even though she was screaming on the inside. "Nice to meet you," she managed to say, shaking Phil's hand.

"So you're the reason Finn's been in Cincinnati this entire time."

She nodded. "Yeah... I guess so."

"See you've been busy," Phil commented, glancing at her baby bump and then over to Finn. "I didn't know you had a thing or two back in Ohio."

"Neither did I," Finn shrugged, hand on Alex' belly, "We ended on bad terms till I ran into her, learning about the baby."

Alex felt compelled to roll her eyes and smack him... Maybe even claw at his face for the lies he was coming up with. But again, she couldn't even do such a thing.

Phil smirked, pointing over to Natalya waiting at the base of the stairs. "I'm sure you've already met my girl Nattie. She'll take you to your room and get you ready for tonight... It was a pleasure to meet you."

"Yes, you too."

For added measure, Finn placed a kiss on Alex' hand, allowing her to follow Natalya up the stairs and to her room while Phil filled Finn and the others of awaiting investments.

Upstairs was just as beautifully decorated as the downstairs, if not more. The room Natalya led Alex to was a large suite with a sitting area and ensuite bathroom. The sheets and couch all white, the walls a dark grey with beautiful, expensive paintings. It looked all too good to touch and it didn't take long for it to sink in that this mysterious place wasn't home.

As soon as Natalya closed the door, Alex dropped to the ground and sobbed her heart out, covering her mouth in fear of Finn hearing.

"Hey, hey," the blonde whispered, her arms around Alex' shoulders as she consoled her. "It'll be okay..."

"No it won't," Alex mumbled through tears, "I'm not supposed to be here... I'm not Finn's anything. I belong back in Cincinnati with my kids, with my fiancé... I don't belong here."

All Natalya could do was hold the sobbing, in complete shambles brunette close as she continued to repeat the most heart wrenching of words she ever heard a kidnapped, pregnant women utter.

"I want my family back... I don't belong here."

xXx

"I'm sorry, that room has checked out," the little lady behind the desk informed. Colby nodded, hiding the disappointment on his face. He slowly backed away, lingering in the hotel long a bit.

He was sure Alex would have been here since nobody was at home. Jon wouldn't have allowed her back at the house so quickly, before he made a couple arrests to ensure she was actually safe. It didn't make any sense and Colby wasn't buying into her having checked out.

So he rode the elevator up to the seventh floor and walked down the hall, only to see the door wide open with the housekeeper inside. She was striping the bed and from what Colby could see from outside the room, all of Alex' belongings were gone. The room was completely empty just as the lady said.

"Shit..."

He left the hotel shortly after, piling into his car. Driving down familiar streets he figured he would spot Alex with the other brunette from the other day. But he came across absolutely nothing and it made his stomach turn with doubt, every negative thought possible entering his mind.

Something happened and Colby found himself driving right to Alex and Jon's house without a care in the world if he'd be seen or not... He needed answers but more importantly, he needed reassurance.

xXx

Natalya made her way up the stairs, the laughter from the men occupying the lounge filling her ear. They were busy drinking, smoking and planning their next move- business wise. So it was easy for her to slip away and tend to a supposedly sleeping Alex in her bedroom.

As she knocked on the door, Alex didn't bother to speak or sit up. She lay on her side, eyes opened with tear stained cheeks. She'd been in shock since she broke down in Natalya's arms except for whenever Finn was around.

Natalya could see the change in her demeanour whenever Finn was near. Alex put on this fake front to win everyone over, especially Finn. She let him touch the small of her back, kiss the side of her neck for the entire group of men to see but once eyes weren't all on the two, Alex nudged him away. It might not have been obvious to the others, but Natalya could see there was no real relation between Finn and Alex except for kidnap. Alex was forced into whatever it was between them, held against her will and tricking everybody into a lie she shared with Finn. But if she could so easily trick the others into believing such a scene of smoke and mirrors, then Natalya's plan could actually work.

But first, she wanted to know more about the newest occupant of the house- the one who reminded her of her own unfortunate situation.

"Alex?" She called out, slowly shutting the door behind her. Sitting beside the saddened brunette, she too stared into the burning candle Alex became so afixiated with.

"Are you okay?"

She only nodded, enough of a response to Natalya's question. "Did you want me to bring you anything to eat or drink?"

"No," Alex' voice croaked. She was indeed hungry and thirsty but she didn't think she could bring herself to actually eat or drink anything. Alex felt so weak, so lifeless in her new surroundings. It was like a prison. Finn was telling the truth. He wasn't letting her out of his sight except for when she was away in her room with Natalya tending to her.

"I saw you didn't eat much at dinner tonight... And you need to be eating just as much for two."

"That's not true," Alex whispered while Emma's voice repeated the very words in her head.

"It should be... Then it could be a logical excuse to eat whatever you want."

For a second Alex looked at Natalya, the blonde smiling down at her. She seemed like the only personable, friendly one in the house... Not to mention the only female. Gravitating towards someone like her seemed like a good idea. "Thanks for uh... Helping me out earlier."

Natalya smiled back. "You're welcome... But you honestly don't have to thank me."

There was a brief moment of silence until Alex cut to the chase, wanting answers to a lot of questions. "Where am I anyways?" She whispered.

Natalya took a deep breath before answering as if it would prepare Alex. "Chicago."

"Oh my God." There was a glimmer of tears forming in Alex's eyes, ready to fall as the harsh reality set in. Alex was far, far away from her family.

"I know something is up with you and Finn... Well I don't know per say but I can sense it. How did all of this come to be?"

Traveling back to her own personal hell felt like a little much for her first night, but Alex went along with it anyways. "I met him through my old boss... I thought it was only supposed to be a one night thing but now it's my nightmare. He claims that I'm his. He always has."

"Finn's possessive... I've seen it before but never the way he is with you."

"It's just like I remember... And I tried so hard to forget what he was actually capable of. I didn't think he was still alive a year ago but here I am, basically his prisoner once again."

"I can help you," Natalya blurted out, overtaken with sadness and unable to hear another word about it.

"You can what? How can you help me?"

"I'm tired of living like this too," Natalya confessed. She'd been a live in play thing for Phil for quite some time, having earned her place out of a deal that turned deadly. She was now the keepsake in place, expected to follow every command and order. "I can get you out of here... It won't be easy but I'm hoping that little charade you pull with Finn will pay off."

"What do you mean?"

"You need to let him trust you completely in order for me to do what I have to... It can't be something you put on when the others are around."

Alex thought for a second. It could actually work... It would work. It had before when she needed to get info out of him for Jon. "This wouldn't be the first time... I've made him believe what I wanted him to believe. But how can I trust you? What if you're one of them?"

Natalya shook her head. "I'm not. But then again I could just be saying that, right? If you want to get out of here with me than take that chance because what other one will you have, Alex?"

She needed to take a chance even if she was against it. Pretending to have any interest in Finn was the last thing on her mind as she thought of Jon and the kids. But when would another opportunity arise? She couldn't just sit around, wasting her days away in hopes that Jon would come and save her. Finn was good at hiding and probably better at hiding the one thing he grew so obsessed with, fearing loss again. Jon's chances were slim to none at finding her so maybe Alex needed to take her chance... She needed to do something.

"Okay... What do you have in mind?"


	14. Chapter 14

"Come here."

Finn didn't need to be asked twice, nor did he question Alex' sudden change of heart- a fault of his yet again. Maybe it was the hypnotizing way her hips moved as she under dressed, rendering him thoughtless. In a right state of mind, he would have questioned if Alex' charade was all for show. But that's how Finn was... Oblivious once he got what he wanted.

"Touch me."

Alex let him touch her body, pulling her close to his. He yanked her by the hair, pulling her down as he devoured her lips in a hungry kiss. His lips later traveled down her neck as he spun her around, pressing himself against her ass. He squeezed his grip around her hips as he fought the urge of release before they even started.

But as Finn grazed at her back with his teeth, Alex stared into the darkness of the room, holding it together as she mentally repeated her and Natalya's conversation from earlier.

 _"You'll have him practically eating out of your hand," Natalya whispered pinning the last of Alex' hair into an intricate up do- the last and final touches being applied in time for a meet and greet with Phil and Finn's business members. Finn wanted Alex looking her best as he wanted to show her off- instilling the beautiful girl at his side was_ _ **his**_ _._

 _"I can't do it... Not again."_

 _"It needs to be this way... If it was so easy last time, what makes you think it won't be this time around? You said it yourself, Alex. Now you have to act on it."_

 _"Last time this shit almost got me killed... He's going to see right through me. He's not stupid."_

 _"But he's blind and you have to keep him that way. You need him to believe you want to be here and that you want him. No more crying, no more isolating yourself. If you can make him trust you, he'll bring you to Florida for the meet... We can escape from Florida, Alex. Just trust me."_

 _So she went downstairs soon after with Natalya. The two wore short, skin tight black dresses- Alex wearing a cropped and fitted leather blazer, the front draped over her bump. Once Finn saw her, he nearly jumped out of his skin. She looked so good... She looked just like the first time he saw her- dark and sexy, so desirable. Those pouty lips accented in the darkest, blood red lipstick he wanted all over himself. He was at a loss of words. He even stumbled over his words in front of his new business partner, Natalya nodding to Alex. "So far so good," she mouthed._

 _Alex hated to admit Natalya was right. She needed to play with Finn's mind. It was the one thing that worked before and if she could back her sudden interest with sex appeal, it'd only make her time in the house easier. Finn would begin putting his trust in her. He wouldn't constantly keep a close eye on her every move. Natalya's plan included the two contacting Jon once they came across a cell phone, before Florida. But they were hard to come by in a house full of criminals sheltering their women from any outside contact._

 _But it was a lot easier luring Finn away from the meeting- just the beginning of the plan._

 _From where Finn sat at the table, he could see Alex leaning against the door way- staring right at him. He was the only one that could see the things she was doing- letting her fingers brush open her blazer, exposing just how low cut her dress actually was. He followed every movement, feeling himself harden with excitement. She knew that dark, lustful look in his eyes way to well and added to it by licking her lips before placing her finger between her teeth, biting gently._

 _"Excuse me," Finn mumbled, bringing his drink with him as he approached Alex. He pulled her by the hand, leading her to an empty bedroom and locked the door behind them._

 _"What was that?" He whispered, with his back pressed against the door. She hesitated for a second but then Natalya's voice reminded her again._

 **"Seduce him."**

"A distraction," she purred, putting all her effort into being as sexy as possible. "I wanted to see you."

"Oh really?"

She nodded, letting her hands explore his chest, right down to between his legs. He hissed as she gently grabbed a hold of him, working her hand to the point Finn found himself reach the brink of insanity.

And it was exactly what she wanted and what needed to be done until the time came for the rest of Natalya's plan to unfold.

xXx

Jon sat on the floor of his living room, a bottle of whiskey in one hand and his head in another. He was a mess.

Actually, he was a broken man oppose to a mess.

Alex was gone without a trace. No sightings, no images from security cameras around the areas found. For once in his life and career he stood at a standstill without any idea where to turn next. It was so out of tune as he was great at his job- making arrests and sense of huge drug schemes virtually out of nothing.

It made him angry that he had no leeds as to where she could be. He was supposed to be the best on the force, sought after by Hunter and every one of his co-workers. He felt like a failure, unable to bring his pregnant, soon to be wife home.

That was the very thought that made his flinch, throwing the bottle of whiskey across the room in an explosive rage. His blood boiled and head spun as he clawed at his head. He went to stand to his feet but he collapsed to his knees, his breathing shortening.

For the first time in his life he experienced a panic attack. It was hard to breathe like he was doing so through a blocked straw. He sucked in as much air as he could to the point he was gasping. He struggled to his feet, lunging for the door.

Outside he fell to the ground again, gasping until he could finally breath again. "Fuck sakes," he muttered, out of breath with tears in his eyes, wanting the nightmare to end.

There was ruffling in the bush beside the house, just outside the living room window which made him jump to his feet, his panic subsiding. "Who's there?" He shouted, approaching with caution. He went to grab for his gun, realizing it missing.

"Damn it."

Whoever it was, they were in for an ass beating and lucky as hell he was unarmed. "Who's there?" He repeated, closer and closer to the bush.

As he was about to pull the beaches across to inspect, something darted past, knocking him on his ass. But he got to his feet quickly, running after the dark figure bolting down the street away from his house.

"Hey!" He shouted, sprinting, trying to catch whoever ran from him. Just when he thought the chase hopeless, a car turned onto the street- the culprit swerving out of the way only to land in a ditch.

Jon was able to easily catch up, pouncing in the ditch too. "Give me your hands!" He roared, clawing at the hooded person. He tried to flee but Jon pinned him down, shocked at who it was once he got a good look at his face.

"Colby?" He asked in disbelieve but soon turned sour. "Did you take her? Did you take Alex?"

Colby shoved Jon off, standing to his feet with his gun pointed. "Where is she?"

"I asked you," Jon spat, "Doesn't that tell you something?"

"She's gone?" Colby mumbled, dropping his gun. She was gone- his intuition right all along.

Jon let go of Colby, leaving him in the ditch as he dragged himself back down the road. "I saw her the other day," Colby started, picking himself up, "But that was the last time I saw her."

"You saw her?"

"Yeah I did... I needed to. Why did you keep her in the dark, Jon?"

"Because of shit like this. Now she's gone! And you know damn well who took her."

"Yeah, I do." Colby staggered down the road, in the opposite direction back to his car.

"Where are you going?"

"Someone's gotta find her," he shouted back. "I plan on doing just that."

Then it clicked. Maybe, just maybe and somehow Colby could help. He found her just a couple of days ago and he could do it again. Maybe Colby still had ties to people close to Finn... The could work together and Jon could pardon every charge in exchange for his help.

"I'll make you a deal," Jon shouted, stopping Colby dead in his tracks. He was interested but skeptical since a so called deal came from an enemy.

"What are you talking about?"

"You work with me. You help me find her and I'll forget the past... Everything'll be wiped clean, forgotten."

It was a pretty great sounding trade off... But either way, he'd go on and find Alex no matter what.

"I don't need any bribes," Colby clarified, "I just want to find her and rip Balor to shreds, once and for all."

"Get in line," Jon seethed. "So, we got a deal?"

Colby nodded, walking back to where Jon stood- accepting a deal with the devil. "Yeah... I'll do anything to get her back home."

xXx

"Who is that girl with Finn? I've never see him with anybody other than Bray and Braun," Sasha asked Phil who sat across from her and Naomi. The three of them were the only ones left at the table- the others leaving as the deal went through. But Sasha stayed behind on an inkling she had after seeing the mysterious girl by Finn's side the entire night.

"That is Alexandra."

Alexandra...

Sasha knew that name quite well. She heard Colby talk about someone named Alexandra before. Now she wondered if this mysterious new comer happened to be the same girl.

"And she's with Finn?" She asked.

"Yep... Snatched her up when he was over in Ohio all this time. Brought her back here and now their living like one big happy family."

The same Alexandra Colby had talked about lived in Ohio as well... Cincinnati to be exact.

"She's pregnant," Naomi pointed out, "Guess Finn will have an heir soon?"

Phil laughed, shaking his head at the thought. "Guess so... Let's just hope the kid isn't as much of an asshole as Balor... I can only deal with one of 'em and Finn's more than enough."

"Will she be joining us in Florida?" Sasha questioned, feeling like she needed to feel out every detail there was to know.

"That's up to Finn," Phil shrugged, "I guess we'll see next week."

Sasha nodded but she was confused as ever. None of it made any sense... If Alex had a perfectly pieced together life with the DEA agent that was Jon after the horrors of a year ago, what the hell was she doing in this house, stuck to Finn's side like she belonged there?


	15. Chapter 15

Alex sat on the edge of the messed up bed- sheets tangled, pillows thrown all over the place as she watched a half naked Finn pace back and forth, yapping away on his phone angrily.

"What do you mean he fucking stiffed us?" He growled, fist balled at his side. He was pissed and she'd never seen him as angry, ever.

From what she gathered, a promising deal went south leaving Finn jipped a couple thousand and without an explanation for Phil. The money was nothing- he could easily make what he'd lost in a day. But a confrontation with a man he despised with great passion, who would in turn belittle and remind him how much their partnership sucked, irked him... It infuriated him to the point Alex expected something tossed around the room in anger.

"I'll take a flight over there right now and slit his fucking throat," Finn shouted, "If I miss out on the meet in Florida, so fucking be it. This is my ass on the line and I much rather it be his head than mine."

Alex panicked for a second. Florida was her safe haven, her only way d escaping- not wherever Finn was talking about heading to.

"No, it's already decided... I'm going. Florida can wait."

Now she was really panicking. Racking her mind to think of what to do she reached out her hand and grabbed Finn as he walked by, stopping him in his tracks. His eyes studied her hand on his chest, slowly gliding down his front. It was the only thing she could think of to calm him down- a distraction of sorts and so far it worked.

Finn threw his head back as she kneeled in front of him, pulling down his underwear slowly. With her fingers snaking around his length, he hissed into the phone as immediate pleasure ripped through his body. There was no way he could carry on a conversation properly with Alex and her hand around him.

"I'll call you back," he mumbled, hanging up and throwing his phone to the bed.

"What's this for?" He groaned, grabbing a bunch of her hair in his hand, eyes fixated on hers staring up at him.

"Do you want me to stop?" She asked, slowing her rhythm. She was about to remove her hand but he placed his own around hers as encouragement.

Finn chuckled. "No. It's actually what I need right about now before I lose my fucking mind."

She stroked her hand back and forth, gently and slowly. On her knees in front of him, she teasingly ran her lips from one his hip's, across his pelvis, to his other hip bone- all the while Finn threw his head back in satisfaction.

Alex blocked out the deafening voice inside her own head, begging her to stop and reminding her how morally wrong this all was.

 **Jon**.

Her conscious shouted the one name able to snap her back to a rational mindset. Looking up she didn't see Finn any longer- only Jon's face staring back at her. It was the only way she could get through anything that had to do with Finn- envisioning her love in place of him.

"Come here," he mumbled, the words sounding just how Jon would say them. His voice filled her. It was like he was the one standing in front of her instead. He had his hands on her cheeks as he held her, kissing her deeply.

Not for a second did she question her vision of sorts. How could she?

With his lips gliding across her neck, a feeling of pure ecstasy, reality was nothing but a blur. Finn no longer existed- just the glorious form that was her fiancé.

Those breathtaking baby blues poured deep into her eyes as Jon rested between her legs. He dipped down just as he entered her, catching his lips with her own. Holding him as close as she could felt so right- like finally finding the missing piece of the puzzle.

She missed everything about him- the way he smelled and tasted, down to the way he held her hips as they became one.

"Alex," that gravelly voice rang her ears, shaking her to the core. She shuddered too, holding him closer as his rythym continued- slow and passionately.

He feared closing her eyes incase Jon would disappear- and he would. So her eyes stayed open as her hands roamed all over his back, exploring each and every muscle she could feel. Slowly her hand ran down his spine, reaching towards his left until her fingers ran over coarse, knotted feeling skin.

Her heart sank into her stomach right there- reminiscent of the fateful night a year ago when she shot Finn. It was one of his bullet wounds she felt across her finger tips, snapping her back to the ugly reality that was his body in place of Jon's committing such an intimate act.

She let him finish, her hands draped around his neck as he buried his face into her hair. All she could do was stare up at the ceiling, the thought of Jon just a fragment of her colourful imagination. The reality of the two of them, Finn and herself, in the middle of that bed with limbs tangled and sheets thrown all over, set in.

Finn "owned" her now and she'd be luckier dead if she'd ever be able to lay eyes on Jon again- no imagination involved.

xXx

"Can you even do that? Do you even have the authority to wipe clean charges or are you just talking out of your ass?" Joe questioned.

He was still unable to make sense of Jon's master plan- using Colby and his various sources to help locate Alex. Jon was out of his jurisdiction when it came to promising such things but talking him friend out of it was impossible when it came to Alex. Jon was going to do anything and everything to find his girl, making sure their growing baby was okay and home and everyone was happy. Even if Jon couldn't promise everything he was feeding to Colby, it wouldn't stop him. He'd lie to being Alex home.

"I don't know, man... But I'm gonna try everything I can," Jon said, reiterating Joe's own thoughts.

"I have no others options... I'm not gonna sit around town, hoping to God she just pops up and everything will be a-okay," Jon explained, "That's my life out there... That's my kid. If I have a chance I'm gonna take it, even if it means I gotta walk over people."

"So you're just taking a huge risk, as is Colby?" Antonio asked, "Hoping this guy who you tried taking down a year ago can help locate where your fiancé's been taken?"

"Yeah," Jon answered confidently. He looked at his two friends with a weirded out expression like the two didn't understand the just of his plan- which they didn't. "He's not the real enemy and I'm sorry to say, but he never was. It's always been Balor and don't you deny it."

"We're not denying anything... We're just not supposed to be working with the enemy, Jon," Joe explained. He was all for finding Alex, obviously. But the way Jon wanted to go about it went against everything he believed in and trained for. Sleeping with the enemy, so to speak, wasn't his forte.

"Why do you think there's plea deals, huh?" A frustrated Jon questioned. He expected a quick conversation without any questions or hesitation, immediately going to work with Colby and all his insight. But he wasn't that lucky having two responsible, play by the book, dolts as friends.

"So the bad guys can help us do our jobs just a little bit better... So we can get those clues when they aren't in front of our eyes, saying ' _Hey! Look at me!'_ This is going to work... Before me, there was Colby. He cares about Alex just as much as I do. He's been looking around for her, trying to keep an eye on her while that piece of shit was in town sniffing around my family, in my house doing whatever the fuck he was doing. All Colby wanted to do this whole time was protect Alex and I drove him away. But he came back, he found her and he tried warning her... So it's going to work cause I can trust him."

Antonio and Joe looked at one another, sharing a glance between them. How could they say no after a speech like that? Jon was hardly a trusting guy, especially in the field of work they dealt with. But when it came to a life so precious, how could they question Jon's motives? Here was a man desperate for help, always cautious about his every move. He wouldn't put his trust into someone he didn't feel deserved it.

"Catching the bad guys is what I do best," Antonio shrugged, agreeing to join Jon and his alliance.

Joe wasn't too far behind either. "Let's do it."

xXx

"How can you trust him?" Sasha whispered, suspicious of her surroundings as she spoke inconspicuously to Colby over the phone. It was out in the open- Alex' sighting at Phil's and the man who "owned" her. Sasha called Colby afterwards before he went to Jon's looking for Alex. A few days later and now Sasha was shocked to hear Colby had accepted a plea with Jon if he could help locate his fiancé.

"I can't and I shouldn't," Colby answered, But I need to help him, for Alex' sake."

"So that really was her that I seen?"

"Yeah... Is she okay?" He asked. Colby was desperate to hear she was alright- surviving and taken care of.

"From what I saw, yes. Finn's taking good care of her."

An eerie feeling shiver ran up and down Colby's spine- he knew exactly what that meant. "I know he is and I know exactly what he's doing."

"She's a smart girl, Colby... Going along with whatever she needs to so he doesn't kill her is smart. She did this before."

"But she shouldn't have to do it again... That's why I have to trust the DEA. They have a plea."

"For you?"

"I walk... Everything I'm running from is over if I find her."

"That's why you're calling me, isn't it?"

Sasha could easily identity the pieces of the puzzle... Her connection with Phil who had ties with Finn had Alex in the one place Sasha knew very well- the place most of their meets now took place. She knew the ins and outs of the location and Colby needed all the information she knew.

"I need you to help me."

"How am I supposed to do that?" Sasha asked, doubt scattering her mind. There was no way she could help while trying to process a business deal with the one guy Colby and the DEA were after. It was suicide if she were outed.

"You have access to Phil's," Colby explained, "You know exactly where she is and where they're keeping her. And it'll be easy for you if Finn's not letting her out of his sight. That means she's going everywhere with him, right?"

"Yes," Sasha reluctantly answered. Colby was onto something and Sasha didn't like where it was going.

"Florida."

That was exactly what she expected and she still didn't like it. "You're crazy..."

"It's the only way this is going to work. I know there's a big meet coming up in Florida and if Alex is in good graces with Finn then she'll be with him every step of the way, I know it."

"But what about me? What happens to me when Finn finds out whatever plan you have, because you know he'll find out and it'll be game over for me... I'll be dead."

Colby cringed. That wasn't even a visual he could grasp, ever. "No, you won't... I won't let it get to that. All I want is a time and location. You need to do this for me..."

"What happens after that?"

"Jon gets there whenever, scoops up Alex and Finn is done. You'll be out in the clear, I promise... But I'll only do it if you're running free, just like me."

"Colby... How do you know for sure this is all going to fall into place?"

"Because this guy can find a needle in a haystack... He's that good," he answered confidently and truthfully.

"If I say yes to this, anything can happen... I could still wind up with a hit on me from my own side- pissed off I was working with a DEA guy. You do realize that, don't you?"

"I'll take the fall, for everything. I owe it to you."

"No, I-"

"Don't even try talking your way outta it, Sasha... You know I'll do anything for you. But I need you to do this one thing for me... Please."

There was a long pause until Sasha finally spoke, her stomach in shambles as she doubted her final answer.

"Okay... I'll do it."


	16. Chapter 16

I don't own anything but Alex :)

/

On the other end of the smoking barrel of the gun, Alex stood staring at the lifeless body in front of her. The man dropped to the ground so quickly, like a ton of bricks exploding once hitting the floor. Never did she expect being forced into murdering Finn's enemy, his wrong doer...

Natalya was right. Finn would trust her enough to bring her along as Phil did with his blonde. But before travelling to Florida, Finn wanted to make a statement- Nobody could screw him and get away with it.

So they all jetted to Los Angeles, California. Once at the airport, Finn escorted Alex into a separate SUV with The Wyatts and Natalya. "You're responsible for her... Nobody touches her," he mumbled to Bray who nodded in acknowledgement. He and Braun were handed guns, instructed to follow the car escorting Finn and Phil to their old business partner's house.

With their expected arrival, security was high surrounding the house. Anything could happen and Finn wasn't taking any chances with Alex, as was Phil with Natalya.

So the two sat together, with Bray beside and Alex and Braun in the front seat as the driver paced behind Finn, Phil and Gallows who was driving. "My, my... Alexandra..." Bray began, his hand slipping to her exposed thigh from her short dress and knee high heeled boots. Finn dressed her like he always did, but before they left the compound, he made sure Natalya put the finishing touches to a ten. Her make up dark and smokey, her hair sleek and straight... Finn wanted to show her off, of course.

"Might I say you look beautiful tonight," Bray whispered, enough for Natalya to hear.

"Finn told you nobody touches her," She was quick to defend, "And that includes you and your beast."

Her bold nature made Bray chuckle uncontrollably. "Such orders do not intimidate me, Natalya... You of all people sitting in this car know nothing has ever stopped me before."

Natalya shut her mouth, disgusted at Bray's attempt to shake her to the core even though it was nothing but the truth. So Bray returned his undivided attention back to Alex who tensed as his hand fell onto her thigh again. "Lovely... Is what you are."

Alex allowed Bray's actions. She couldn't push him away or scream from the top of her lungs like she wanted. She'd probably get a bullet between the eyes if she tried drawing unwanted attention.

But soon they pulled up the house, their car parked on the opposite side while Finn and Phil had no problem at all parking right outside the gate, in front of the cameras for all to see. The two stepped out of the car with their guns in hand, door slamming behind them before Gallows sped off down the street. The others watched as Finn hacked the pass code for the gate, Phil taking watch as he did so. They were able to get through quickly, running up to the front doors. With either one on either sides of the door, Finn counted and on three they were in.

"One... Two... Three..." Bray counted to himself, the sound of muffled gunshots following. It was an all out war, like lightning erupting back and forth. It went on for awhile till utter silence took over. It was an eerie feeling for the gang sitting outside in the car overlooking for any activity in and around the house.

"It shouldn't take them this long," Natalya commented. She'd seen this sorta thing before having been dragged along to all sorts of stings and killings, and quite frankly, Phil or Finn should have walked out by now cockily holding their guns to proclaim the done deal.

"You underestimate your keeper?" Bray questioned. He had all the confidence in the world, no doubt tainting his mind.

Alex on the other hand had hoped the showdown had ended in a bloodbath with absolutely no survivors... Then maybe it would have made it easier escaping back to Cincinnati, back to Jon and her family.

"Something happened," Natalya whispered, clutching onto Alex' hand. The two shared the same look between them- the bloodbath scenario strong.

"There he is," Bray pointed out to the girls' disappointment. They cocked their heads to the side, watching as Finn and Phil stepped out from the front door and down the stairs, motioning for the driver to drive on in through the gate.

As the car stopped, it was apparent Finn was injured. His hand was soaked in blood, a white piece of cloth resembling a shirt wrapped tightly around his wound. He looked down right pissed, no sign of pain streaked across his face. "Get them inside before any of this looks more suspicious than it already does," Phil commanded, opening the car door, "We're staying here tonight cause we can... Keep your enemies close, right?"

So Bray and Braun did as they were told- escorting both women into the house while Phil and Finn led the way.

"Excuse the mess, ladies," Phil said as they passed a couple dead and bloodied bodies along the way. Alex held her stomach as she passed along the blood streaked hall way, queasy and light headed. She hadn't experienced as much gore as she did since a year ago, the sight alone too much to handle.

"Come. We got some business to take care of darling," Phil said, grabbing a hold of Natalya, whisking her away. But before he led her in the opposite direction from the others, he instructed Bray and Braun to clean the mess and secure the entrance and back of the house while he let off some steam with his blonde.

Finn grabbed Alex by her hand, leading her up the stair case. With every step she took, she felt her stomach ache at the sight and smell of blood smeared across the banister, the ill sight of a dead body hanging against the rail catching her off balance. But Finn was quick to catch her, whispering "I got you, love," in her ear.

He led her to to what she thought was an empty room until Finn turned on the lights. Sitting in the middle of the room was a bloodied and bound man strapped to a chair. Alex stopped dead in her tracks, Finn having to push her through the doorway.

"What is this?" She whispered, eyes settling to the floor.

"Enlightenment," Finn hissed, pressing his injured hand against his chest, anything to put pressure on the wound. "Somehow he knew you were with me. Probably had his scum as lookouts... Said he was going to but a bullet between those pretty little eyes of yours before killing me."

Finn cocked his gun, closing in on the man who could only look on as his fate awaited him.

"So, here she is... Get a good look at 'er," he spat at the man, "But you won't lay a finger on 'er... You never would have either, you son of a bitch.

Finn nearly ripped the restraints from the man's hands and feet secured to the chair. He grabbed a hold of the guy, forcing him to stand in front of Alex. Finn held his gun right between the man's eyes before handing the gun to the terrified brunette.

"Shoot him," he whispered, slipping his piece in her hand, against her will.

"What?" Alex mumbled, shocked at such a request.

"Shoot him," Finn repeated, this time running his lips up and down Alex' neck, gazing her supple skin. He wrapped his arm around her waist, his injured hand raising hers holding the gun. He aimed the weapon right in the guy's direction, point blank. Alex couldn't even attempt fleeing Finn's firm grip.

"Do it, love," he urged, "Show me you're loyal to me."

Alex closed her eyes, sucking in a deep breath. There was no way around it- Alex needed to do everything Finn entrusted her with, even murder. She knew what he was capable of doing if he didn't get his way.

Against every fiber of her being screaming and hollering how immorally wrong a gun in her hand was, she allowed Finn the control her fingers. She tensed and in an instance it was over- The smoking gun now resting at her side with the bloodied body laying right in front of her.

She refused to open her eyes, letting the gun fall to the ground as she contemplated what she had committed. Finn's arms around, what was supposed to be a reassuring gesture, felt nothing of the sort. "Good girl..."

He led her through the doorway, Bray and Braun standing just outside, awaiting their next commands. "Clean that shit up," Finn ordered, pointing back to the room him and Alex left, "I'll clean her up..."

xXx

Sasha could breathe again as she hung up, ending the call between herself and Phil- one Colby had recorded for Jon. Phil called her after his gang arrived in Los Angeles to finalize a few details about the meet- an opportunity for Sasha to dig up certain details while listened on.

 _"Who's coming along with you, Phil?"_

 _"The usual... Plus Finn and his goons. Got the girls coming too."_

 _Sasha looked at Colby like gold had been struck. So she dug a little deeper. "I remember your beautiful Natalya... Is there someone else?"_

 _"Yeah... Finn's got a girl. Her name's Alex."_

 _"Is she the one that was with him the last time I was with you guys?"_

 _"Yup..._ _ **The one he knocked up**_ _."_

Once Jon heard the full extent of the conversation, he tensed. The look on his face spoke volumes... He was beyond pissed off.

"The one he knocked up."

Not only did Finn kidnap his fiancé, terrorize her and force her into God knows what, but now, he was pretending to play a part in Alex' pregnancy.

It made Jon sick to his stomach, past the rage he felt. He wanted nothing more than to beat the living hell out of him, leave him for dead... Than just maybe Finn would feel a fraction of the hell and pain Jon was feeling.

"What's in Florida?" He asked Colby, Sasha standing behind him. But the question was directed to the pink haired woman, and she was hesitant to even let him in on the details.

"Nothing you need to know about," she muttered, "Other than that's where your girl will be in the next little bit."

"I told you and I told him there's a way out of this if you just gimme answers... I won't hold you accountable for shit," Jon reminded her.

"It's okay," Colby reassured, "Trust him."

Sasha huffed. She couldn't believe she was about to divulge secretive information to a damn DEA Agent of all people. "Well... If you didn't already know, I hang with dealers... I run their errands, take care of business," she sassed, "What'll be going on in Florida is the biggest deal the coast has ever seen... That's why Finn and Phil are headed that way- to see it go through without a hitch..."

"Private plane?"

"As far as I know, yes."

"How fast can you get us out there?" Colby asked.

"As fast as you want... That doesn't concern me. What I wanna do is find their location, right now."

"He never told me where he was," Sasha sighed, "He's always secretive... It wasn't even a registered number he used to call me."

"Fuck," Jon mumbled, realizing getting someone over to trace the call in the middle of the night seemed impossible when time was limited.

"He could call again," Colby said, providing the tiniest bit of hope.

"If he does, you call me first thing," Jon said, rubbing his eyes. He was exhausted, mentally, physically... The whole ordeal taking a huge toll on his body and mind. He needed to go home, inform his partners Joe and Antonio of the going on and then surround himself in nothingness.

"And you lemme know if anything changes or you hear from Alex," he said to Colby who nodded, Sasha too.

"Don't worry... We'll get her out of this, alive," Colby reassured his new found 'partner.'

Jon nodded, dragging himself out of the hotel room and down the hall- holding on to Colby's words... The reassurance he so desperately needed.

xXx

"Did you get it?"

"Yes... Let's go."

"Wait a second... Are you okay?"

"No..."

Alex held Finn's cellphone in her hand, carefully tip toeing down the hall following Natalya in search of an empty room away from the men. Even though Finn and Phil were consumed in a whisky coma, time was limited.

"In here," Natalya whispered, motioning for Alex to follow. The two pilled into what looked like a private library. The blonde felt around the wall, her fingers in search of a light switch. She dimmed the lights as Alex fumbled with the cell, frantically dialling Jon's number.

"Remember... He can't alert the police here. We need Finn and Phil to get to Florida, no matter what. We have a better chance at running away inside a crowded airport than we do out here," Natalya reminded her, "We can't trust anyone... The police here in Los Angeles, if that's where we are, answer to Phil."

Alex nodded, her stomach in knots as each and every ring passed. "Please, please answer," she mumbled, heart skipped a beat once the call was accepted.

"Yeah?" His beautiful yet tired voice asked on the other end. Alex was at a loss for words, instead letting her emotions get the better of her.

"Who is this?" He mumbled through a yawn.

Sniffling, Alex wiped away at her eyes. "Jon..."

There was a long, long pause but Alex was sure Jon was as speechless as she was. "Alex? Baby?"

"I'm here... I'm here," she sobbed. Natalya embraced Alex, more of an attempted reminder to keep her voice down incase of awakening the men.

"Alex..." Jon choked, "Where are you baby?"

"I don't know... We were blindfolded but we think it's L.A."

"We?"

"I'm with someone else. She's trapped just like me."

"Are you okay?" He urged, freaking out on the other end, "Is the baby okay?"

"Yes... I'm okay and the baby's fine. Look, I don't have time to explain everything but Finn is going to Florida... That's where he's taking us next."

"I know, I know... Look, you stay where you are," Jon said, his voice firm, "I'm calling the police."

"Jon, no," she pleaded, "If you do, he'll kill me. He'll know I called you if the police come looking for me."

Jon was frustrated. All he wanted was to call the LAPD, alert them of his missing fiancé and her supposed whereabouts in their town and hop on an immediate flight and kill Finn himself. "What do you want me to do, Alex? I have to do something."

"Please, Jon... Not till we get to Florida. It's the only way Natalya and I can get away safely. We leave tomorrow- Finn was talking about landing at the airport at three and something about how risky it'll be travelling through an airport... If we divert everyone, we'll be in the clear. You're the only one I trust for this... I need you to get me and Natalya out of this but you can't tell the police until we get to Florida..."

"Okay, okay," Jon agreed and it pained himself doing so. The wait had been excruciating so far... Waiting any longer felt like it could kill him.

"Bray and the other one, Braun, are here... There's two others- they work with Finn and there's me and Natalya... You'll need back up."

"I got it... Are you sure you're okay?"

"I'm alive and the baby is too... That's the only thing I'm holding onto... This is one big fucking nightmare, Jon..."

"What did he do to you?" He whispered, a part of him wanting to know every detail, while the other felt physically ill at the very thought...

"I'm sorry, Jon..."

Natalya's attention averted to the sound of a door opening from the hall. "Shit," she mouthed, tugging at Alex, "Someone's coming."

"Jon, I love you..." Alex whispered into the phone, her last words before she slipped the phone into a bookcase- without ending the call.

"Wipe your eyes and keep it together," Natalya said, sinking into the couch, pretending to be asleep. Alex quickly wiped at her face, pretending to be intrigued by the collection of books as she awaited whoever was approaching the library.

With the door creaking open, it was Finn who appeared- half naked. He stumbled into the room, reeling off his whisky high and tiredness. "What are you doing?" He asked.

"I... I couldn't sleep."

"Neither could Natalya?"

Alex shrugged." She was here before me."

"I guess Phil was a handful tonight..."

Alex wrapped Finn's dress shirt she was wearing around her naked body as he closed in, grabbing for her hands. "You okay after what happened?" He asked, trying to be sincere.

Alex nodded, remembering Jon was probably on the other end of the phone listening in. She couldn't shed any light on the murder, nor did she want Finn to bring it up. She was ashamed- branded a criminal just like the men in the house.

"It needed to be done, love," he said, justifying their actions, "To protect you. But more importantly, to prove to me that I can trust you."

"I know..." Alex lied. She hoped Jon could see through her words. Finn's fingers slipped underneath her chin, determined for her to look him in the eyes.

"But nothing like this will ever happen again."

Alex nodded again, incapable of a verbal response.

"Come to bed... You need your sleep. Big day we have coming up."

"Yeah," Alex agreed, forcing a smile, "Okay."

"Let's go," a handsy Finn said, pulling her out of the library. His arms snows around her, kissing her neck as they walked back to their room, "Let's get you to bed."

As soon as their bedroom door shut, Natalya popped up from the couch to where Alex stuck the phone. She slowly pulled it from the two books it was lodged between, staring at the screen. Jon hadn't hung up... He hears the entire conversation.

"Hello?" Natalya whispered into the phone, eerie silence on the other end of the line.

"What did he make her do?" Jon muttered.

"... A lot. I don't know if you wanna hear it."

On the other end, Jon clenched his fist as he prepared for the worst, although he already knew. Another man had touched his fiancé, the mother of his child, in the most intimate way possible. But there had to have been more to it... "We've been down this road before... Besides the sex, what else?"

Natalya sighed. She didn't want to be the one to tell him. "Finn... He... He forced her to shoot someone. He's dead..."

"Jesus fucking Christ," Jon whispered. He couldn't even imagine how Alex felt... Jon had shot many in his career- some dead and some left intact. But having to be forced into such an act, especially a defenseless woman, it made Jon sick.

"Get to Florida, Jon... You're our only hope."


	17. Chapter 17

Sorry for the wait! But here you go... Again, I don't own anything but Alex. Enjoy ;)

/

"Today's the day."

"I know..."

"Remember what I said... As soon as we're off that plane, you run. You keep running and don't look back. Don't wait for me... You just keep running until you see Jon, you got it?"

"Yeah... I got it."

Natalya delivered the pep talk Alex so desperately needed, especially after the night before.

 _Unknown to her, once Finn brought her back to the room they shared, Bray waited in the corner of the dimly lit room. He was seated in a chair and overlooking the bed across from him as the two walked in. Finn shut the door, capturing Alex in his arms as she backed up- startled at the laughing maniac making his presence known._

 _"Why, hello there lovely..."_

 _"Don't push it," Finn warned, hands on either side of Alex' shoulders, "This is the last thing I want."_

 _He spun her around slowly so she'd look him in the eye as he simply explained why Bray was in the room. "He wants you..."_

 _"She intrigues me," Bray clarified, "The pretty little thing always has..."_

 _Finn hated his confession- sparking his thought process. Sharing Alex with Sheamus was enough torture as he had to watch another man's lips and hands all over the woman he claimed as his own. It was weeks on end- his superior getting first dibs and all. And then there was the one night Becky joined in- he enjoyed it at first but of course, it was enraging._

 _"You're not getting her." Finn was firm, able to stand his ground which was important. How could he let another man touch his girl?_

 _"I'd be stupid to ever let it happen again..."_

 _But Bray spoke up, a huge grin on his face as he did. "You see... That's where you're wrong... Your woman is beautiful, my friend. Regardless, why wouldn't you share her?"_

 _"No, Bray... No."_

 _As the two talked and talked, back and forth, Alex' eyes focused on the two guns on the night stand. They were loaded. They were the ones Finn came into the house with. Suddenly, Alex' head filled with a glorious fantasy... Like Bray and Finn shot dead, bleeding out like a couple of stuck pigs, courtesy of her. When else would she be able to get the two of them in the same room, together, without the other armed men?_

 _Alex could pull it off. She was sure of it. If she could seduce both men, soil their minds with the intention that she wanted them- body and mind- then anything was possible afterwards. Alex could easily swipe the guns off the table in the heat of the moment and it would only take a bullet to the head each._

 _"Why? Does he intimidate you?" Alex challenged, her arms folded across her chest. Finn was completely cut off guard by her question, but he couldn't produce any answers as his eyes drifted down to her cleavage bursting through that shirt of his she was wearing._

 _"Does he?" She repeated but Finn wouldn't answer._

 _"Well... If he doesn't," she continued, "Can he touch me?"_

 _Bray's attention now lay in Alex' hands. She knew she'd began to reel in at least one of them._

 _"Alex..." Finn hissed but she cut him off._

 _"What if he does touch me?" She tested, leaning against the door. Bray watched as the pretty little thing, as he liked to call her, let her hands fall to the side, palms pressed against the wood. She looked so inviting, her challenge for Finn a turn on, nonetheless._

 _"Come here," she whispered to Bray. He chuckled but soon rose to his feet, making his way to the brunette. Once he was in an arm's length, Alex pulled him in just so he was mere centimeters from her body. Finn felt the need to rip Bray away, throw him across the room but Alex stopped him. "I'm still yours, remember? But he's one of your men. You have to take care of them too. This won't change the fact that I belong to you... I promise."_

 _Luckily Alex' ability to mold Finn to her liking paid off and he allowed for what came next. She grabbed Bray's hand, guiding his fingers underneath her shirt as she forced him to cup her breast. Finn let out a sigh as he watched the sight unfold in front of him, jealousy surging through his veins. That should have been his hand instead, touching her beautiful skin like that._

 _Alex allowed for Bray to unbutton her shirt, letting the fabric dangle on her now naked and revealing body. She leaned against the door again, back arched as Bray's lips made contact with her neck. Finn stared right at her, and she did too- establishing that strong bond through eye contact. Soon she pointed to the bed behind them- the immediate point of interest near those sought after guns._

 _As Finn began to loosen his tie, Alex gently pushed Bray away so she could saunter to the bed, clutching the unbuttoned shirt against her body. "Watch," she ordered Finn to do, wondering how long he'd actually be able to obey._

 _As Bray stood at the foot of the bed, with nothing in his sight except for Alex, Finn obliged... Surprisingly. He calmly stood at the head of the bed on the left, without a single word said._

 _"Touch me," Alex instructed Bray to do. She lay on her back, awaiting the man to join her on the bed while Finn looked on. Bray didn't need any validation from Finn before crawling on the bed, on top of Alex. His hands tore away the shirt completely, sliding the material down her arms. He roughly grabbed her hands, pulling her arms over her head. Bray was obviously prepared- reaching for rope from his back pocket to tie her hands together._

 _Alex froze but her impeccable poker face remained. If her hands were bound, how could she grab for the guns and shoot them dead?_

 _"No," Finn asserted himself, the sight of the material garnering him mad with rage. As sexy as it appeared to be, the last thing he wanted to witness was Alex bound by the damn wrists, completely helpless looking._

 _"Not that."_

 _But Alex had to do it. She had already dug herself a deep hole into seducing Bray, and soon Finn. There was no turning back, and even with the slightest possibility of wiggling out of the rope and grabbing for the guns, she had to take the chance._

 _Alex also needed to be the peacekeeper between the two for her plan to continue, without any more twists and turns. "Finn... Tie me. Please," she whispered, biting her lip. Of course he was hesitant at first, not liking the way Bray's desire turned out._

 _"Please," she urged, licking her lips. Finn slowly reached for the rope from Bray's hands, ever so gently tying Alex by the wrists. In a trance, Finn let his fingers linger against her cheek as Bray continued with his lips again. He trailed below her ear, down her neck and hovered around her breasts- his tongue encircling her nipples._

 _As Bray had his way with her body, Finn couldn't hold back any longer. He attacked her mouth with his as Bray traveled down her body, leaving no inch of skin untouched._

 _"Look at me," Finn urged, holding her wrists above her head. He traced his finger around her lips, shivers running down his spine as she looked right at him. "Look at me, baby," he ordered, "I wanna see if he can make you scream like I can. I doubt he can... But nothing would delight me more than to see the look on your face, or hear the sounds coming from your mouth if any."_

"You tried..." Natalya whispered, offering some words of encouragement to the distraught women trying to hold in her tears.

Her plan had failed her. Instead of slipping out of her restraints and shooting both men dead, Alex instead pretended to enjoy the sexual act she began involving the two men. Every chance she got- every chance those guns seemed to inch closer and closer, Finn and Bray had her in a different position. They shared her- taking turns fucking her and keeping her mouth busy.

"You tried what you could, Alex..."

"What have I done?" She mumbled, hands covering her face as she collapsed to the floor. Natalya was quick to grab the brunette in her arms, her heart just as broken as her new found friend.

"Don't do that to yourself... You had to do what you had to do," the blonde reminded her, "None of this is your fault."

"I let them have me... I was stupid to even think it would work," Alex sobbed.

Natalya rocked her back and forth, staring up at the clock in the room. They needed to get ready... They needed to get out of that house fast. "Keep it together, girl... In just a couple hours, we'll be out of this nightmare. Your going to be far away from this life, Alex. I promise, okay? Now let's get you up... We have to get you ready."

xXx

"We'll get her safe and sound," Joe reassured, his hand on the shoulder of his anxious and on edge friend. They were on a jet from Cincinnati to Florida- mere hours away from the anticipated confrontation.

Jon hadn't slept since the phone call from Alex. He played out the conversation in his head like a broken record- wanting to say more and learn less. He should have told Alex he loved her, more than once, and finding out all the awful things she'd done killed him inside.

He just wanted Alex in his arms, as tight as could be, whispering that everything would be alright.

"If they need to go through that airport, we got her," Antonio reassured just like Joe, "It'll be a piece of cake, man. Guaranteed."

"What if-"

But Joe cut Jon off, shooting him a questionable look. Who was he to doubt anything? "What if nothing. Man... Don't start doubting a thing. It's not like you."

"I know... I know. I can't help it. Don't tell me you wouldn't do the same if it was Nicole," Jon tested.

It wasn't a thought Joe wanted to toy with- harping on the idea of keeping Jon grounded instead. "You know I'd do anything for my wife... Just like what your doing for yours. But hold it together, man. We're a foot in already."

"He's right," Colby spoke up, "I did all the work for you... All you have to do is waltz in and scoop her up, as easy as that."

"Anything can happen from now up until she's in this car with us," Jon reminded him, "Remember that."

"Yeah, but I'm not dwelling on it. That's what these two are trying to drill into that head of yours. Alex is okay if Sasha's there. I trust her."

"I don't," Jon spat. He was aggravated along with the lack of sleep countering his ability to believe anything good could come out of this whole plan. He didn't feel the need to have Colby chirp in his ear.

"And why don't you?"

Jon leaned in his seat, the look in his eyes as sharp as his tongue. "'Cause you and your girl are the kind of scum I track down and lock up."

Colby tensed, his hands gripping the armrests. "Well... It looks like this kind of scum is the one who put this whole rescue mission together, huh? The last thing you wanna do is aggravate me enough to pull the plug on the whole thing."

The tension surrounding the two in the aircraft was thick and uncomfortable- the glares between Jon and Colby intense. Joe and Antonio were literally on the edge of their seats, the outcome not looking so great.

"Is that what you're gonna do?" Jon tested, nearly shouting at the top of his lungs, "You got her into this whole fucking shit show and now your gonna abandon her again? Your gonna do that to my girl?"

"I didn't abandon her... You kept her from me," Colby clarified, his voice as loud as Jon's now, "Your not as perfect as you claim yourself to be, you fucking hypocrite."

Jon twitched like he was ready to leap out of his seat and punch his rival square in the face. He went to open his mouth again but this time Joe intervened before a fight erupted in mid air. He stood in front of the two, ready to be that wedge if either one made the first move. "That's enough," his authoritative voice roared- he was sure the pilot could hear from he cockpit.

"Whatever it is between the two of you doesn't matter... What matters is getting Alex out of their safely and making the arrests we need to, understood?"

That shut the two up completely. They averted any eye contact as Joe sat down in his seat, Antonio trying to keep his smile at bay. He never expected as much excitement between a con and officer. "Wow," he chuckled, removing the sunglasses from his face, "I'm sure that would have been a first if he let you two brawled in mid air... Too bad."

Jon rolled his eyes, placing his earbuds in his ears and kicking back. "Shut up, Antonio," he grumbled, blasting his music to help the calm before the storm.

xXx

"What a surprise this is... I must be a lucky man!" Phil exclaimed ecstatically at the sight of Sasha accompanying them at the Los Angeles airport. It was rather fitting having such a key member of Phil's sought after new business partners accompany him and his crew to Florida... Their town.

Sasha's arrival wasn't by chance or some weird coincidence. After the phone call with Phil and gathering much needed information, Colby talked Sasha into taking that flight. It only took a quick call to Phil to inform him she was on her way to meet them, then accompanying him to Florida.

"What are you talking about Phil? You are a lucky man," Sasha responded, buttering the man up.

"Well... I can't say that I'm not, eh baby?" He asked to Natalya specifically, who nodded, shining him the brightest as sweetest smile she could fake.

"Good girl."

Sasha smiled too. She was as close as Jon and Colby could get without blowing anything. So now, the pink haired accomplice sat between the two girls while Phil drove and Finn sat beside him in the front seat. Bray, Braun and Luke followed closely behind in a separate car, on high alert just in case.

A call to Phil's phone distracted the man long enough for Sasha to inconspicuously inform the two women of her real intentions. She garnered their eye contact, motioning for them to look at her phone screen in her hands.

 **'I'm on your side'**

 **'Jon and Colby sent me. I'm here to help get you out'** she wrote as texts for both Alex and Natalya to see.

After erasing the first, she typed the second. **'Follow my lead. I'll get you out'**

As Sasha stashed her phone, she glanced at both women who nodded in understanding. Their savior sat in the middle of them, less of the stress of a risky plan now lifted from their shoulders.

The entire ride to the airport wasn't as vexing as Natalya and Alex feared it would be. As the car stopped, it was the last time either one would ever be confined in such a space... Expect for the jet. But it was definitely the last time either one would be forced to accompany the men on a run, or a simply outing to establish dominance and power among the drug world.

The girls would no longer be eye contact... No longer pawns in the evil game concocted by the two Devils in the flesh. It would soon be over... And nothing excited Alex more than the next line Sasha wrote on her phone.

' **Jon texted... He's waiting'**


	18. Chapter 18

I don't own anything but my Alex ;) Enjoy!

/

"So, besides the psychopaths kidnapping her, you been taking care of Alex?"

Jon growled under his breath, tempted to ring the grinning goon in front of him. Colby had taken a liking to patronizing Jon since their heated argument in the aircraft an hour ago. Antonio was the only one getting a kick out of it, while Joe kept close incase he needed to pry any fists out of faces.

Since the Florida airport was a public domain, the gang needed to split up. Joe and Antonio roamed the entrance, police units hovered around every gate, inside and out.

Lo and behold, Jon got stuck with Colby.

He shouldn't have gave in to the man's unfriendly banter but when it came to Alex, he wanted it known that he'd done his best. "Yeah," Jon mumbled, "I did."

"How's Kylie? You being a good dad to her?"

Jon nodded. "'Course I am."

"Was Alex happy?" Colby asked, wholeheartedly this time.

Jon nodded. He was certain she was.

"She said yes when I asked her to marry me, so yeah, I guess she was."

"Good."

Planes began to land and the airport flocked with all sorts of travelers passing by- some leaving, some awaiting to board connecting flights. But not a single face was overlooked between the three task forces.

"How'd she feel about you keeping me away... How'd she take that when she found out?" Colby asked, his eyes peeled as he scoped every single person.

Jon did the same. "How do you think she took it?" He asked, taking a second to roll his eyes in distaste.

"Christ, is this "The Interrogation Hour with Mr. Lopez" or some shit?" Jon sighed, frustrated and tired, "Quit it with all the questions."

Colby chuckled, again planting himself underneath Jon's skin like the annoying parasite he sought out to be. "Relax... If you can. Consider this an interrogation, my friend- like I'm the big 'ol brother you don't wanna mess with."

"That's what this is now?"

"I just wanna make sure Alex is in the best hands," Colby clarified, "Despite us having to locate her in this crowded airport 'cause YOU fucking lost her."

Jon sighed. He had enough of u harassment. He knew he fucked up. He should have done more... He should have been at the hotel with her the night she slipped away. He was stupid to leave her with Nick. Ultimately, Jon had to live the rest of his life in regret and it didn't help with Colby adding to the pressure.

"Is this why you're here?" Jon questioned, about to lose the lid off his temper, "To remind me that it's my fault I lost my girl? That my pregnant wife is Finn's fuck toy again?"

"I wanted the best for her," Colby retaliated, his words meant to hurt, "And this isn't what I consider _best_ at all."

"You don't think I know that?" Jon hissed, "Alex is my life... I'd die for her and here I am making sure SHE doesn't... Making sure my unborn child gets to see the light of day after all of this shit... Trust me, I've been giving her the best and I'm gonna keep on doing just that."

 _'Uh, sorry to interrupt but you might want to turn your radio off in case you don't want any of us to hear your heartfelt conversation.. Just a thought'_ Antonio's voice whispered from the radio hanging from Jon's belt. A frustrated Jon did just that, stepping away from his _"partner" instead of_ a repeat of what almost went down in the sky.

"It's a hell of a lot more you've ever done for her anyways," Jon added.

But Colby spoke up. "Yeah and maybe you're right but you don't know anything about it... I loved her, man... Actually, I do love her."

It was enough to stop Jon from walking away, instead hearing the young man out.

"Alexandra was everything to me when we first met. She was more than just an employee. What we had was more than just sex... She was actually a big part of my life before you came along."

"What? Am I supposed to feel sorry for you or something?" Jon asked, that raspy voice like a whip as he turned around the face the man.

"No... Feel sorry for her," Colby muttered, back leaned against a post, "I surrounded her with all the glitz and glamour- my sorry ass excuse to hide the fact that I was screwing up her life."

"So what're you tryin' to say now?" Jon mumbled, arms across his chest.

"As much as I don't like you, and probably never will, you really were the best thing to happen to her," Colby hated to admit. Maybe Jon was a stand up guy. Hell, he was. The man standing in front of him had a respectable job, he was a devoted family man and loved the woman he cared about. Colby felt terrible thinking over the facts and having given Jon such a hard time when it was Finn and The Wyatts who deserved every ounce of anger instead.

"You warming up to me now? Complete 180?" Jon mumbled, walking back to their post.

Colby shrugged. "Whatever... You were able to take her away from the life she knew too well... I'll give you that. Man, thats all I ever wanted for her and you did it... Guess I gotta cut you come slack."

Jon chuckled, grabbing for his radio to call Antonio quickly. "Cesar... Got anything for me?"

 _"Nada, chief. Except for this blonde comin' my way... Damn."_

"Just promise me somethin' and it's all water under the bridge," Colby piped up, eyes peeled as a swarm of people with their luggage flocked the area once again, "You kill that son of a bitch Balor if I don't get to him first. You kill him."

Jon's lips twisted into an evil smirk, the thought heavenly. "With pleasure," he mumbled, eyes locked on the gate clearly reading the arrival time from Los Angeles.

xXx

The feel of Finn's silky smooth tongue would be the last Alex would ever feel once the plane landed- the signified end to a nightmarish world she was trapped in.

Even in high altitude with many people in an arm's length, Finn wouldn't give up the opportunity to fulfil his needs. Luckily for Alex, they occupied two seats near the back of the plane. Natalya and Phil, in one seat, had fallen asleep- his protective grip around her all but comforting. With Bray, Luke and Braun busy snorting blow and Sasha tuned out from her surroundings, left Finn prodding at Alex.

"Look at me, love," he mumbled, grabbing her chin so she'd look right at him. "If all's good in Florida, we're staying," he said, "How's that sound?"

Alex nodded her head and just like that a smile brightly shinned through like it were genuine. "Good," she said, allowing him to take her hand in his.

"And tonight, we're going out... I don't care where," he said, fingers gently climbing up her arm, "All I care about is having you at the end of the night... I'm going crazy... Having shared you with Bray was madness. I can't watch another man touch or taste you."

"Don't worry. He doesn't fuck me like you do," Alex forced herself to say, playing along.

 _Only a half hour to go_ , she reminded herself.

Finn growled lowly, licking his lips. "Really? Shall we see?"

Alex didn't answer, instead she let Finn slide his fingers underneath her dress, dancing along her thighs. "Feel me," he whispered, grabbing her other hand so she could feel his rock hard erection.

"You alone do this to me... Believe me, I'm tempted to just fuck you and I don't care who'd see."

Alex was determined to avoid any more sex with Finn... But she couldn't let it be known. So she came up with something to keep him busy. "Showing me is one thing... But telling me is another."

Finn smirked, grabbing her by the hand so she'd sit on his lap. "Take this off," he urged, pulling at his jacket she wore around her shoulders. He threw it to the floor, swiping her hair from her neck- his lips just inches away.

"Could you imagine just the two of us here right now?" He mumbled, "You wouldn't be in that dress for long."

"Tell me," she whispered close to his ear.

Finn groaned, holding her by the hips as he took a deep breath. "You see the bar over there?" He asked, motioning with his head.

"I would love to sit you over there, your legs propped on either side. I think you could guess what'd I'd do next," he said, flicking his tongue against his teeth. His lips immediately drawn to her neck, he occupied his time with her bare flesh as the others around them paid no attention. If he wanted, Finn could just about do what he had his mind set on. But the constant reminder of another set of eyes on his woman the other night stopped him. Like he said before, their awaited night out would be the perfect opportunity to indulge in the brunette.

"But it'll have to wait... I much rather have you in the privacy of my own home instead of in front of these unworthy people... And who knows. Maybe I'll get some candles, maybe some roses scattered all over the place too. You only deserve the best," he whispered, his fingers cradling her chin.

"You have a house in Florida?" Alex asked.

Finn nodded, but it wasn't a surprise. He had tons of realty around in case he needed to flee quickly. "I also have this," he announced, digging his hand into his jacket to retrieve a long, sleek black velvet box. He held the thing in his hand, retracting his other hand from Alex to open the box.

She could have gasped at the sight staring back at her. She was nearly blinded by the extravagant and sparkling diamond necklace shinning in the light. It must have been worth more than just a pretty penny... Maybe a whole bank load by the looks of it.

"This is yours," he said, delicately holding the diamond necklace in his hands. He slowly wrapped the jewelry around her neck, clipping it in place. "This is to show how much I love you..."

Alex nodded, but deep down she knew it was nothing of the sort. The gesture had nothing to do with love. It was only to show his new Florida business partners the kind of wealth Finn had his hands on. He was showing his dominance and power. But she had to accept it... Anything to convince Finn.

"Thank you," she whispered in return, feeding his ego once more- in turn allowing his to feel like a dominant, sought after force of a man.

XxX

Jon could see Alex through the glass window, standing outside of the jet as she awaited the others to descend from the aircraft. Finn had a pretty good grip on her hand and kept her close by his side as his eyes scanned the area. Colby shared the same distaste as Jon- fists balled and ready to fight, blood boiling and teeth clenched.

It took everything inside Jon to not burst through the glass and strangle the Irishman to sweet, forthcoming death. Alex needed to make it through the gate and safely averted by Sasha in time for Jon to make the arrests. It was still risky as hell and everything imaginable could go wrong...

Maybe Finn knew all along that Jon, Colby and the others were ready to infiltrate and snatch Alex... Maybe he was just fucking with them- ready to pull out a gun as soon as he stepped foot inside the building, shoot Alex in front of Jon like he did over a year ago.

"Focus," Colby muttered, eyeing Jon quickly. He looked as if he'd seen a ghost and clearly he wasn't all there. His mind perverted with _what ifs_ and scenarios too dark for his own discretion. A snap of Colby's fingers would do it- do just that and snap Jon back to reality where he could change whatever future awaited.

"I am focused," Jon mumbled, shaking his head like nothing happened. He slipped back into his groove, familiarizing himself with every single person that stepped off that plane.

Sasha was there and so were the two psychotic lumberjacks... Some guy in a black and grey suit he assumed were Phil Brooks along with his henchman... The blonde he assumed was the one he spoke with the night before... And his Alex and the scum holding her hostage.

"They're all there," he mentioned, "All spoken for."

"Yep... So when do we start killing?"

Jon couldn't help but roll his eyes at the young man. "Hopefully not in here with all these people around... But if it comes to it, there's no turning back."

"You ready?"

"Tell her there's guys spread out all over... Then tell her the plan."

Colby did as he was told, sending Sasha the last of the text messages- detailing the next move in getting Alex.

Jon could see a bunch of plain clothes scattered throughout their section, waiting for his signal. He eyed their lead, holding out his finger as he returned his attention to the gate.

It was like the air was sucked from his lungs as the entire gang stepped through those doors. Bray and Braun led the way while Phil took Natalya by the hand as he searched around the airport like a hawk- on the look out for two twins by the names of Jimmy and Jey who'd be picking them up.

Next were Finn and Alex with Sasha by her side, looking down at her cellphone the entire time.

She nudged Alex who read the message quick, turning her head violently in every which direction to search for Jon or anyone else she would have recognized.

But nothing got passed Finn.

He noticed a change in her as he eyed the brunette suspiciously. As far as he knew, she'd never been to Florida or met Sasha. Why would she be on the lookout for any one specific?

A couple feet away, Jon could read Finn's lips as he questioned what she was looking for. But as convincing as she played herself to be, she replied with an "honest" nothing and they continued behind the powerful dual and their henchman.

With every step Alex took, her breathing eradicated and pulse sky rocketed. Her palms sweated and her stomach nearly exploded in sickness as anxiousness took over. But again, Finn noticed and this time his gut convinced him that something wasn't right. The way she acted and her suspicious nature only led him to believe something was up... And Alex was apart of it.

With perfect reflex and instincts reaching a whole new level, he snatched the phone Alex had become so enthralled with from Sasha's hand as Colby's last text popped up.

 _Keep walking. I'm on the left, Jon's got the right. You lead her to him._

They were screwed and Jon and Colby both held their breath as they realized the cover was blown for everyone involved...

Finn angrily chucked the phone to the ground, his hand around Alex' neck like a vice. Sasha attempted to free Alex but it only resulted in Finn's hand wrapped around her neck too.

"You fucking traitor," Finn muttered to Sasha, pulling out his gun, "How dare you go against everything that you are."

"Drop it," Jon's booming voice roared everybody to a halt. The travelers around them hollered and ran out of every which way in a panic. Phil took one look back, clutched the hand of Natalya and tried to flee before Colby and the others revealed themselves.

It only made Finn angrier as his grip tightened. Alex fought and clawed at his hand with all her strength, but she was unable to do much. She was like a rag doll in his grip.

"I said drop it," Jon repeated, "And let them both go before I kill you."

Finn chuckled, his grip loosening just a bit. He let Sasha go, nearly slamming her to the ground. "You can't have this one," he muttered, placing the tip of the gun barrel at Alex' baby belly. She panicked and so did Jon, ready to leap and kill the Irishman.

"Careful," Finn whispered, his mouth dangerously close to Alex's neck, "You have two lives to think about, Jon."

"Get the fuck away from her... Let my wife go!" Jon roared. Colby had his own gun aimed straight for Finn's head, tempted to pull the trigger. He could take the chance and finally shoot Finn to spare Alex and the baby... But was that really a risk he was willing to take? The barrel resting on top of the precious life Alex carried proved otherwise.

"I did it once before... What makes you think I wouldn't do it again?" Finn spat. This time he wrapped his arm around her neck, glaring at Jon menacingly.

"She belongs to a cop?" Phil barked, his eyes wide and seeing red. The entirety of their mission had been nothing but unavoidable doom from the start thanks to Finn. He lied, he went against everything he was about... He lay in the same bed as a cop's wife and tried to pawn her off as his own.

Phil drew his gun this time, aiming for Finn. He had so much to lose and no regrets. "Answer me, you son of a bitch! You lied this entire time!"

"Get in line, asshole," Colby said.

"I'm not gonna tell you again, Finn," Jon warned, inching closer and closer and as slowly as he could incase the maniac slipped. Colby pointed his gun at the others- Phil about ready to shoot Finn, Braun and Bray smiling and chuckling at the events unfolding before them.

"You're right," Finn muttered, quickly reaching into the pocket of his jacket. Before Jon had the chance to shoot his gun, Finn threw something to the ground rendering the entire area into a huge cloud of smoke.

"Get out of there!" Antonio could be heard over the radio, "You can't see shit!"

The airport erupted into fearful screams again, Jon's distinct voice overheard by all. He shouted and shouted for Alex, coughing and choking as he felt his way through the smoke. Determination was an understatement. He wasn't leaving without killing the man responsible for so much but more importantly, Jon wasn't leaving with Alex.

"Alex!"

Gun shots sounded left and right and out of luck, Jon was able to dodge every bullet. Colby stayed close behind as he could make out black figures scrambling about. It sounded like Bray and Braun shouting for the others to keep close and follow them.

"Come on!" Colby shouted and pulling at Jon, "They're over here!"

Alex screamed loudly which propelled Jon to leap onto the first person in his line of vision. It was Bray and he fought back like his life depended on it. Reaching for his gun, Jon felt another blow. The two wrestled around in the clearing smoke until Jon felt a blow square in his face, rendering him senseless- enough for Bray to crawl away with the others.

"No! No!" Jon could hear Alex screaming, "Jon!"

He was groggy and his head pounding, but he slowly picked himself up off the ground. "Alex?" He called out, rubbing his eyes. Most of the smoke had cleared and he scrambled to find her. But he didn't see Finn or Bray or the others.

"Tony! Did you see them leave?" Jon screamed into his radio.

"No!" Antonio coughed and coughed, "Nobody saw shit as they closed in... That smoke bomb was enough to take out half the airport."

"Jon?"

His head snapped in the direction of the feeble voice. He bolted, expecting it to be Alex. He couldn't wrap his mind around the sound of her voice... It sounded weak and immediately he thought she was injured. Maybe she was caught in the line of fire. Maybe Finn shot her again... Jon freaked out, his heart beating a million miles a minute.

"Alex?!" He shouted as he approached but it wasn't his Alex... It was Sasha.

And she was injured.

"Shaw," her weakened voice mumbled as she sat up, clutching her thriving, bloody arm. She wiped the tears from her eyes with her other hand, unable to control the jitters or her shaky voice.

"They left with her... All of them... And they took Colby too."


	19. Chapter 19

Its been awhile! My apologies! Otherwise, enjoy and I don't own anything but my character Alex!

/

"Where are you taking us?" Colby hissed, his voice dry and reeling from the sharp pain radiating in his left arm.

With his sight obstructed by a blindfold securely tightened around his head, he assumed they were in a car. "Alex?" He called out hoping to settle his nerves with the reassurance of her voice but instead Finn's evil tongue filled his ear.

"Never mind her... You should be more worried about yourself. I'm taking you to die."

From what Colby couldn't see, sat Alex forcefully held in Finn's lap as Bray sat in the front seat with Jimmy driving to a safe haven- a compound gated from the outside world.

The entire group had been split up in to two vehicles- the one behind chauffeuring Braun, Phil and Natalya, both nursing gun shot wounds. Phil was irate, refusing to speak to Finn as he demanded information from Bray over the phone, the self appointed mediator. But he couldn't help himself once he heard Finn's voice addressing Colby.

"Tell that son of a bitch he's gonna join Lopez! I swear to God!" Phill yelled.

Bray couldn't help but chuckle. "That's not necessary at the moment, my friend... We've got an even bigger obstacle in our way- we're all in this together and that's what's going to get us all out of this rut with the Feds."

"What the fuck are you talking about?" Phil's pained voice asked.

"They're right on our tail, the Feds... Always are... Now, we, as in you and Balor, keep from killing one another and we might be successful in murdering our common enemy. Once they're out of the way then I promise you'll have a crack at one another."

Phil groaned in obvious sarcastic fashion, gritting his teeth together. "Fine... But as soon as those Feds are dead, I get Balor fair and square... He's a dead man," Phil informed before hanging up abruptly.

Finn chuckled. He heard the conversation clear as day but one thing stood out more importantly than Phil's head on a silver platter. "I have a question for ya, Bray."

He turned around, staring at the Irishman to continue which he did. "Where does your loyalty rest?"

Bray was silent for a moment, but coming up with some kind of answer. "I'm beginning to question it myself..."

"It's a simple question, my friend. Answer," Finn urged.

Bray contemplated his odds. If he said the wrong thing, the mad man sitting behind would shoot him in the head without even thinking twice. It was a ultimately a test and there was only one right answer.

"My loyalty has always been to you, Finn," Bray answered as smoothly as could be, and convincing, "And it will remain that way."

Finn nodded, liking what he heard. With Bray's loyalty confirmed, Finn turned his attention to a much more pressing matter... The one forced on his lap.

"You," he seethed, grabbing a fist full of Alex' hair in his hand. He yanked her head back, a yelp from her lips as Finn pressed the barrel of his cold gun against her temple. "Again... You deceive me again. I could kill you right here and I should, love."

He chuckled, realizing he couldn't even go through with such an idea. She still had such a hold around his heart and his mind.

"But Christ... I can't... I can't do such a thing 'cause I'd rather you live out the rest of your days by my side, haunted with the fact that I killed Shaw and there was absolutely nothing you could have done about it."

Alex' heart ran wild as the gun slid down the side of her throat, resting above her heart for a quick second before he placed it above her belly. "Think twice before you deceive me a third time... I have no problem ridding you of any memory of Shaw."

Tears spilled from her eyes as Alex sucked in a breath, preparing herself. She could no longer sit back and bite her tongue. "I want nothing to do with you... And I'll be smiling my ass off once Jon finally blows your head clean off. You deserve to die for everything you've done."

Finn was seeing red... Envious, rage disguised in blood red. He released her from his grip, this time digging his nails into her thigh as he stared her dead in the eyes. She'd never seen the look on his face before nor did she ever want to again. Alex knew what he was capable of when he didn't get his way... When people deceived him and she did just that. She was stupid to open her mouth and say what she did but did she regret it? Hell no.

"Such harsh words for such a pretty thing," Finn mumbled, controlling his red hot anger, "I've always told you I liked that mouth on ya... I'll **never** get tired of it, love. Tell me you hate me, it only ever means you love me... I can let you go but I'll have you back in my reach just as fast. You're mine, Alexandra, just face it... You're mine."

"Jon's going to find you," she whimpered, a sort of chuckle gracing the end of her words like it amused her, which it did, "He's going to find you and he's going to kill you."

It didn't seem to phase Finn one bit. The smirk plastered on his face painted a very different picture- one without fear or regret for what he'd done. "He'll only find me, darlin'... But he won't kill me, no... He'll be the one lyin' on the cold fuckin' ground, in a pool of his own blood staring up at me with you in my arms as victorious as I should have been over a year ago... I guarantee it, love... I don't doubt it."

XxX

"He did what?" An irate Jon gritted through his teeth. If he bit down any harder he could have sworn his teeth would have broken into dust.

Sasha had divulged every single detail she knew about Finn's forced relationship with Alex to Jon and the others. She was in the back of a black SUV with Jon on one side and Antonio on the other as a Florida cop drove as instructed by Joe. They were given instructions to the compound Sasha described once inside the car, quickly bandaged by Antonio. She was bleeding like a stuck pig but refused any medical attention. It would only lead to a trip to the hospital and quite possibly a witch hunt. Word would quickly spread amongst her gang that she was in fact a traitor and her boss would spare no time in sending the twins Jey and Jimmy to kill her.

But her timely demise was the least of her concern as Jon pressed and pressed, wanting every single detail there was to know about Alex.

"He told every one the baby was his... That they hooked up a long time ago, lost contact, but found each other again," Sasha whispered, growing tired.

Jon slammed his fist against the window beside him, the sound jolting Sasha awake.

"Calm down!" Joe urged but Jon was having none of it.

"That piece of shit thinks my son or daughter is his! Don't you fucking tell me to calm down! That's my goddamn child!" Jon yelled.

His head was spinning like a top. That maniac had countless fooled into believing the baby Alex was carrying was his instead. It made Jon physically sick to his stomach at the thought of Finn playing house with his soon to be wife.

"Relax, man... You're no good to anyone when you're vengeful. Get your head on straight for Alex! Focus on her and the baby," Joe coaxed, knowing quite well his friend's state of mind mattered the most. Jon was the best at what he did, without any distractions and his unstable anger getting in the way of what was most important. Joe needed to keep it that way.

"You're that baby's father," Antonio joined in, "That psycho tried everything he could to falsify a relationship that never would be... He needed something to help hold onto her this time, knowing she had a planned out life with you, Jon."

"Wow," Joe commented, "Never heard anything as real as that coming out of your mouth ever."

"I do what I can," Antonio answers slyly but none of it helped Jon the slightest.

"He's crazy," Sasha tried, wincing as she leaned in her seat, "Your girl is yours... She always will be... And Finn will always have his jealousy because he could never have her."

Jon took a deep breath, settling his crazed nerves. Sasha was right... Hell, his two best friends were right as well. He was overreacting... Alex was **his** fiancé, the mother to **his** child. Finn was just some guy looking in from the outside wishing it was his life instead and sadly going to extreme lengths.

"You know she's a lucky girl to have you," Sasha commented, a small smile on her lips, "You're her knight in shinning armour... You'd do everything and anything for her."

"I didn't do one thing... I should have killed Finn myself, a long, long time ago. Then none of this would have happened. My girl would be at home with her kids, with my baby growing inside her... With me watching over her like I'm suppose to do," Jon mumbled

"He was lucky to survive Cincinnati," Sasha said.

"You knew about that?"

She nodded. "He's told me everything about his old life... Every single detail, especially Alex. He cares about her, a lot... He loves her."

"I know he does..."

"And he knows how much you love her... That's why he wanted to do this. He wanted to help save er just as much as you... So do him a favour and listen to your friends," Sasha urged, more or less commanded of the broken down man, "Stay focused and only worry about getting her outta there... Finn's time will come, one way or another by a hell of a lot of people that want him dead just as much as you do."

xXx

"Out!" Braun shouted as he yanked Colby from the car. The others- Natalya, Phil and the other twin- huddled around. Braun was quick to tie Colby's wrists together tightly, throwing him to the side as Finn exited the car with Alex.

"Come on, sweet pea... You too," Finn mumbled, pulling her by the wrists.

She tried everything she could to free herself to no avail. It was useless trying to fight the man anymore.

"Tie hers too," he instructed Braun who approached the shivering brunette, a sadistic smile on his face as he wrapped the material around her wrists several times, tightening it into a knot.

"Don't want you gettin' away," Finn chuckled, "Or hurting yourself."

"The only person I wanna hurt is you!" Alex spat but Finn covered her mouth with his hand, leaning in to her ear so only she could hear.

"Shhhhhh... I don't think I wanna gag that lovely mouth of yours."

His breath against her ear made her shiver. Alex bit her lip, silencing anything else threatening slipping from her lips. Phil turned his attention to Natalya leaning against him, holding her wrists tightly too.

"You ready for your little party favour too, Nat?" He seethed, motioning with his head for Braun to lug himself over. The blonde was too much in pain to talk herself out of having her hands bound as well, accepting her punishment instead.

"Was she plotting against us too?" Finn asked.

Phil growled more so at the fact that Finn was taking to him. "Yeah, she was... She confessed to everything."

"I'm so sorry, Alex," Natalya whispered.

"Shut up! Don't you dare," Phil warned, "Braun... Shut that mouth of hers up, now!"

Colby and the two women, both bound and one gagged, were pulled into the house by Braun as Finn and Phil followed suite- each one exchanging death glares between them. The compound was excessively expensive looking, with loads of doors closed and locked- housing important goods and the best blow Florida had to offer. Colby had been there once before and he was sure he somewhat remembered the place, enough to lead Alex and Natalya out to safety. He knew Jon was on his way with Sasha directing the way... Just a few miles separating himself from his fiancé and unborn child... He was sure Jon had all the fire power in the world prepared.

But Colby needed to buy them some time and maybe trekking trough the luxurious maze of a mansion would do.

As he secretly began to wiggle out of the rope around his wrists, he purposely bumped into Alex, nodding his head when she made eye contact with him.

 _ **'Follow me'**_ he mouthed, his eyes darting Natalya's way too.

Alex nodded just a bit, in complete and full. understanding.

They were going to make a run for it and they could quite possibly be killed in the process. But it would be worth it... Alex would see Jon again.

Colby would make sure of it.

He took a deep breath as they entered a sitting area of the house- fireplace roaring in the darkened area. He counted in his head, slowly starting with one.

"Alex comes with me while we wait," Finn demanded, his arm gripped around her arm. Phil didn't care at that point. If Finn wasn't going to be in the same room as him, he wouldn't be able to hide the shit eating grin off his face. He'd be ecstatic.

 **Two...**

Seth's heart raced, full of adrenaline as Finn brushed past him with Alex that he jumped the gun, literally. With quickened reflexes he snatched the gun from Braun's hands and fired.

Blood splattered as bullet's hit both Braun and Bray- the room nearly shaking as both burley men fell to their knees.

As Finn and Phil grabbed for their guns, Colby reached out and ripped Alex out of Finn's hands- tearing past the others to the door behind them.

Alex had less than a second to grab for Natalya as best she could with her hands still tied but she was no match for Phil who easily pulled the blonde by her hair- wasting no time in pulling the trigger of his gun.

No regrets as he watched Natalya fall to the floor, as lifeless as one could be with a bullet in their head. Alex screamed, tears rolling down her face as Colby dragged her down the hall- bullets chasing them.

"Alex!" Finn yelled, unloading his gun as Phil did the same. Colby turned down the hall, continuing to drag Alex down the stairs. She covered her mouth in part to keep her silent as Colby opened a door, pulling them into the basement. He carefully shut the door, helping Alex down the stairs in pure darkness.

They settled for the boiler room, another door separating them from the furious men upstairs- recovering and searching round.

Colby sat against the door, groaning as he threw his head back. "Colby?" Alex whispered, a glimmer of moonlight peeking it's way into he room through a small window.

Alex couldn't believe her eyes.

She was in denial at the blood practically pouring out from the two bullet holes deep in Colby's stomach and side.

"You're getting out of here, Alex," he panted in pain, "Before they come down here looking for us, you hide under the stairs and I'll stay in here... I'll take care of them and you get the fuck outta here."

"But... But they'll kill you."

Colby nodded. "I'm already half way there, baby... You get out of here with Jon, the baby... And you tell Sasha I love her."


	20. Chapter 20

I don't own anything but my character Alex. Please excuse any spelling mistakes :)

/

 _It was almost two in the morning when Colby walked through his empty club- closing time underway. He was drawn to the brunette twirling around the pole on the centre stage, like she was in her own little world. Smiling, he stuck his hands into his pockets, standing front and centre- admiring his favourite._

 _"Damn," Colby chuckled, "A show? Just for me?"_

 _She smiled, holding onto the pole as she wrapped her leg around the metal. "Depends... There's a price. And did you already see me tonight?"_

 _"I watch you every night, baby," he answered, leaning against the stage as he stuck a cigarette in his mouth, "Sometimes all I do is watch you on this stage."_

 _She laughed, slowly and gracefully falling to her knees in front of the man. Colby extended his hand, cupping the side of her cheek. He gently stroked his thumb by her lips, teasing himself more and more._

 _"You know... You're the prettiest thing in this joint," he said with every bit of truth backing every word. Since he first laid eyes on her, she became his favourite- his girl._

 _"Stop," she whispered, for the first time ever on stage, feeling embarrassment wash over her._

 _"Can't handle the truth?"_

 _"I can't handle it coming from you... Boss." She promised herself she wouldn't let herself get too close to the man who filled her pockets with cold hard cash at the end of her shifts. She promised herself nothing would come of a mistaken kiss or friendly ride home... Or a supposed one night stand that so far turned out to be almost three nights in a row._

 _"I told you I liked you."_

 _"I bet you tell that to every girl in this place, don't cha?"_

 _He shook his head, his palms holding him up against the stage. "Nah... Just you... And only you."_

 _"Why?"_

 _"'Cause I like you... More than I thought I would, with you being my employee and all."_

 _"So where does this go from here?" She asked, "It seems like a conflict of interest, Mr. Lopez."_

 _Colby chuckled, hopping up on the stage. "I was never one to follow the rules," he said, helping Alex to her feet. Swiping the long strands of her hand from her face, he rested his hand on her cheek as he continued to speak._

 _"I want you with me."_

 _"That's one hell of a proposition..."_

 _"I'm serious," he said, and he was. There was something about the girl he couldn't quite put his finger on. Given he wasn't the tied down type, he wanted something, if anything, with the beautiful brunette._

 _"I don't usually do this sorta thing and I know you don't either... But it's time someone's taken care of a pretty little thing like you, Alex."_

 _There was something reassuring about the way he spoke. It wasn't just some vie to soften her up, get in her pants again, like she was as easy as she was made up to be. Colby genuinely, as he said, liked Alex._

 _"I promise I'll can take care of you, sweetheart," he whispered, thumb slowly parting her ruby lips, "Always."_

 _..._

"No... I'm not leaving you down here to die," Alex refused as Colby helped untie her wrists. She pulled off the last of the rope, flinging it to the side as Colby shifted uncomfortably and in pain.

He was bleeding bad and dead set on the idea that he'd only slow Alex down and quite possibly be even more responsible for her death.

"Alex," he mumbled, groaning in pain. He tried to smile and it broke her heart. She could no longer contain herself and reads flowed down her cheeks.

"Remember what I told you a long time ago?" He asked, "That promise I made?"

She was surprised he remembered and slowly nodded, the words ringing in her ear. "Yes... I do."

"I meant it... Yeah, I fucked up and put you in harms way but I'm making up for it and I'm finally putting my words to use. I'm taking care of you, Alex. That's all I want, is for you to be safe and happy and outta this shit hole alive. Can't do that lying dead in the basement, sweetheart."

"But what about you?" She mumbled, "I can't leave you."

"You can," he nodded, "Jon will take care of you now..."

xXx

"Can you get me in there?" Jon asked Sasha, cocking his gun. She nodded slowly as Joe helped strap a bullet proof vest on her, Antonio handing her a loaded a gun. The plan was to have the two of them head in through the backyard while Jon and Sasha did their best in locating Alex and Colby before all hell broke loose- once the Florida police arrived.

"We need to go over the plan one more time?" Jon asked Joe and Antonio, specifically.

Joe shook his head but Antonio had to be a smart ass about it. "Get in, shoot the bad guys, save your princess... Easy as pie, Shaw."

"Don't get your head blown off," Jon warned.

"Easier said than done," Joe added.

Sasha chuckled through her teeth, the pain a little unbearable. Jon held her hand encouragingly as he opened the car door- careful of his surroundings. Just as she said, Sasha pointed out every single camera covering the property. Jon hurried them behind anything that could obstruct the view, biting his lip in hopes they didn't cause too much of a scene.

"Right there," Sasha whispered to the large garage that could easily fit five of more cars.

"There's a passage that leads to the basement."

Jon followed the pink haired women to the garage, Sasha punching in a code on the key pad. They were successful, entering through the door as quietly and carefully as possible. "There's a latch," she instructed, pointing to the ground, "You need to push and pull up."

To the naked eye it looked like absolutely nothing but the floor of a garage but there was a latch like Sasha said. Jon opened it up, the creaking of the door echoing throughout. Sasha went down the stairs first, gripping against the wall for leverage till Jon grabbed a hold of her, helping her along the way. It was a narrow path, very poorly lit and ran for what seemed like miles for such a small distance.

"Open this door," Sasha instructed, again punching in a code. Jon nodded, pushing the lever to push open the big, concrete door. They were in the basement just like Sasha said- Unknown to both Colby and Alex.

"Someone's down here," he hissed, trying to stand to his feet. If it were Finn or Phil, a limb hanging by a string, Colby would be damned if he didn't spend the last little bit of his life protecting Alex.

"It doesn't sound like they came from upstairs," she whispered, holding onto Colby, "We would have heard them come down the stairs by now."

Then it clicked. There was a passage he seemed to forget about till now. What if Finn and Phil found it to try and sneak attack the two? Colby grabbed for his gun, standing in front of Alex with the barrel ready. "Stand behind me... Whatever you do, don't leave me till I tell you to. Got it?"

Alex didn't ever answer. There was still no way she was leaving Colby and she was ready to put up a fight.

"There's a staircase over there," he heard a familiar voice from behind the door of the boiler room.

"Sasha?" He perked up, putting his gun down to his side as he listened on.

"Come on... We don't have much time," Jon's voice could be heard next.

"Jon?" Alex asked in a hush, "That's Jon!"

Colby slowly opened the door, checking things out first as Alex stayed close behind. "Well... Aren't you a sight for sore eyes," he said at the sight of Sasha in the darkened room.

"Colby!" She exclaimed, her hand over her mouth as realization set in for the two. He wasn't dead and neither was she. He groaned in pain as her body collided against his, arms wrapped around his neck as she hugged him the tightest she could.

"I thought you were dead," she sobbed, gripping a hold of his shirt.

"Far from it, baby," he quipped, clutching his bullet wound, "No doubt."

"Jon?" Alex called out to the dark figure behind Sasha and Colby embracing. He dropped his gun, stepping in front of a ray of moonlight illuminating his face. It was him... It was her Jon.

"Jon," she whispered, completely breaking into a shamble of emotions as he leaped and scooped her up in his arms, nearly falling to his knees. He was emotional and adrenaline filled but one thing was for certain. Never had he been so happy in life to have Alex in his arms- so far safe and sound.

"Baby," he whispered, afraid to even loosen his grip, "You're okay."

"I'm okay," she reassured him, "I'm okay, so is the baby... But we need to get out of here. They're upstairs, Phil and Finn... I don't know if there's others."

"Did anyone see you go in through the passage?" Colby asked.

Sasha shook her head. "No... They would have disabled the alarm if they did."

"Let's go... You help Sasha," Jon instructed Alex, "And I'll get Colby."

Alex helped Sasha to the passage door as Colby swung his arm around Jon's shoulders, limping behind the girls. As Sasha punched in the code to reopen the doors, a little red light went off and beep sounded, causing immediate fright. "No... No!" Sasha cried as she tried and tried again. They had to have seen herself and Jon... They were watching the entire time.

"Fuck," Jon angrily spat, punching the door, "They wanted us to get in... But we weren't getting out as easy as we got in."

He reached for his radio, clicking the button and speaking for Joe and Antonio to hear. "Joe? Tony? Come in."

 _"What's up?"_

"I got Alex... I got Colby."

 _"Great... Now get your ass outta there before the fire power gets here."_

"We're fucking stuck in the basement... There's no way we can be out through the house safely. They're gonna be coming for us, man..."

 _"Hang on, Princess... Your knight in shinning armor is coming."_

xXx

Phil stared at what was once his blonde, her hair completely red from the blood and brain matter splattered all around her dead body. "Jesus Christ," he muttered, mulling over the fact that he was the one responsible for his now dead girl.

He was full of regret but nothing as comparable as the guilt he felt for trusting someone like Finn. "This is all your fault, asshole!"

Finn clenched his teeth. "I'm not the one who shot my girl in the head..."

"I had to... I had no choice. And let me be perfectly honest. If I get to Alex first, she's gonna look just as bad as Nat," Phil threatened, cocking his gun.

"If you even think about touching her I'll kill you myself with my bare hands," Finn spat, pointing his gun at his business partner."

"I'd like to see you try... Goddamn, I which I would have found out a hell of a lot sooner about this entire shit show you dragged me into. Maybe I would have played you the way you did me."

"Fuck you..." Finn muttered.

"But don't you wanna hear how I'd do it? Huh?" Phil asked, sarcasm strong. The sound of his voice felt like a whip- pissing Finn off like never before.

"I wouldn't kill ya just yet if I knew... I'd ride it out, make you feel right at home... Then I'd get my hands on your girl- make her life a living hell in front of your eyes while you beg and gravel at my feet to spare her... And the best part about it? Her blood on my hands would be all your fault, you fucking bastard."

Finn charged at the man, whipping him in the face with his gun. The two wrestled around on the floor, fighting to the death till one of the twins, Jimmy and Jey, ran into the room to separate the two.

"Fuck you Balor!" Phil shouted, clawing for Jimmy's gun. Jey pulled Finn away, holding him against the wall.

"That's enough!" Jey yelled, "We got bigger problems than you two trying to kill each other!"

"What the fuck are you talking about?" Finn asked.

"Some dudes outside with guns, talking on walky talkies, that's what I'm talking about," Jey justified, pulling out an iPad. Imagines projecting the activity from outside was shown- Joe and Antonio on high alert as they awaited backup. "They ain't us... Look to clean to be one of us."

"That's cause they're DEA," Finn informed. Phil looked as though he wanted to jump the guy again, Jimmy squeezing his grip.

"He's here... They must have followed us."

"He?" Phil asked.

"Jon, the guy from the airport... He's here for Alex."

"You fucking..." Phil muttered.

"Get down stairs," Finn instructed, "Open fire on anyone and I mean anyone you see... But the girl is mine."

Jimmy and Jey nodded, understanding their instruction. They hurried down the stairs, leaving the two hot headed men staring down each other. "Find the camera to the basement," Phil ordered.

"Why?"

"'Cause that's the one place we never looked, dumbass."

Finn rolled his eyes, tapping his finger on the basement camera button. He held his breath, the image of Jon and Alex in an embrace enraging. "Yep... They're in the basement," he gritted.

"Told you..."

"You never told me anything."

"Whatever... Let's go. I want them all wiped out. And you better move your ass incase I get to Alex first," Phil reminded Finn. But before they even made it a step down the stairs, the sound of open fire echoed the large, nearly empty house. It was deafening along with the screams that followed.

"Guess you're lucky, Balor... Someone got to her first."


	21. Chapter 21

"Shhhhhh, don't make a peep, sweetheart... Unless you want a bullet in that pretty little head of yours," Phil's ghoulish sounding voice hissed as he held on tightly to Alex' body, dragging her from the depts of the basement and passed the two dead twins.

The man had such a strong grip, Alex could hardly breathe but it wasn't like she wanted to. As fast as the bullets flew, Alex had been snatched away again. She didn't know if anyone other than the twins lie dying on the floor or bleeding out like a stuck pig.

Her heart shattered at the thought of Colby and Sasha. Were they dead too? Could she bring herself to believe they met the same fate, together... But more so, her heart crushed under the idea that something had happened to her Jon. The thought of losing him left her weakened at the knees and lightheaded, fearing the absolute worst.

'No, Jon can't be dead... He just can't be,' the voice inside her head coaxed.

"Come here, Princess," Phil muttered, pinning her body against the wall beside the door. He looked back at Finn for a second, the Irishman narrowing in on the two with the fiercest of looks.

"You don't know how much regret I have when it comes to you, Alexandra," Phil growled, his nails digging into her skin enough for her to yelp in pain. He had nothing to lose and everything to gain in his eyes. Absolutely nothing especially Finn and his reaction matter other than getting a piece of the so called action.

"But then there's the simple fucking fact that because of you and your relation, all of this had to happen... A number of my men dead, my least favourite still standing... I should be the one to finally put an end to it... But, then there's you pressed against me," Phil hissed this time, his fingers like daggers. Alex shut her eyes, the very most she could do. There was no fighting anymore, at least against him and Finn- the scariest of the bunch.

"I haven't forgotten that," he continued, slamming her body against the stairs. Finn followed as Phill hovered over her body, knees between her legs as he pinned her hands above her head.

"Before you go, sweetheart... I think I'd like to experience for myself what's gotten Finn so taken with you," Phil chuckled menacingly, like the ultimate villain. But Finn's burning gaze could not be avoided no matter how much Phil tried.

"Gee kid, I'd love to give you a free show and all," the man mumbled, sighing as his eyes fell onto Finn this time.

"You got some things to check out... So go, Balor," Phil bluntly commanded, pointing to the basement. He wanted a though rough clean sweep, an actually say of who was dead, who was missing inside that very basement, while he fucked around with Alex. But of course, Finn wouldn't budge an inch. It was like he was stuck in one place... Stuck in a trance of his own delusions and damn bloody fantasy wrapped in jealousy.

"Go on," Phil commanded again, almost like a warning. This time, Finn slowly began to move his hand to his holster as Phil busied himself with his hands all over Alex, the least smart of things to do in front of the man that devoted his own life and business to such a being.

"Come on Balor, what's the hold up, huh?" Phil barked.

Bang!

The last words Phil ever spoke were followed by the deafening and piercing sound of a gun shot.

It echoed all throughout the hall- ringing in Alex' ears. But she had hardly had any time to react as Phil's body fell limp onto her. Finn quickly gripped ahold of Phil's bloody dead body, pulling him off Alex. He chucked the lifeless corpse down the down the foot of the stairs as if he was the easiest of last obstacles in the way of him and his woman.

Alex thought of running. There was no doubt in her mind. Maybe she could hurry up the stairs and bypass the gunshots Finn would potentially unload. If she hid, maybe it would buy her some time while the back up came. It was damn well worth a shot. She continued to play scenarios in her head as Finn stalked towards her, his gun still in the right hand and gaze as dark and intimidating as ever.

He hovered over her for a moment, his left hand wiping the blood splatter from her skin. He shuddered, the thrill of the kill still evoking. Standing up straight, Finn held out his hand for Alex to grab, which she didn't. It angered Finn, an enraged twitch tugging his shoulder.

"Take my hand," he hissed, "And let's go... We're getting out of here, now!"

In his mind, their getaway was now a flawless idea ready to be set into motion. He had just killed his unruly bastard of a business partner. Bray and Braun were no longer- all three cleared from Finn's determined path. He could do what he sought out do all this time- run away with obsession and start the life he'd always wanted with Alex.

"Now," he muttered again, instead grabbing for Alex. She checked her surroundings from the corner of her eye, the scenarios coming to life inside her head again. She had to take a chance. She had to do something to keep herself from walking out that front door with Finn.

"No!" Finn shouted as Alex unexpectedly snatched the gun from his hand, darting up the stairs. How she could move so fast was beyond her. Adrenaline coursed through her veins as she ran down the hall, struggling to find someplace to hide in a house Finn was familiar with.

She settled for a guest room- the last door on the left. Barricading herself inside, she knelt behind the bed and aimed the gun to the door- waiting for Finn to barge in. Her finger hovered over the trigger, hand shaking and the gun wobbly. But she was ready if the bastard was too. If anyone was getting through that door, Alex was ready to shoot them dead.

xXx

"No... Oh God, no!"

Jon groaned, slowly picking himself up off the ground just as a bloody and distraught Colby struggled to do. They were able to fight off the twins after one shot at Sasha, striking her in the chest and leaving her for dead.

"Sasha?" Colby mumbled, weary himself. He stumbled to her still body, falling to his knees as he wept for his love.

"Baby..." He cried, holding her head in his lap as he stroked her blood stained cheek, hoping the sweet gesture would somehow awake the woman he loved so dearly. But she was gone, long dead. Colby felt whatever was left of his heart shatter repeatedly until there was absolutely nothing left... The pain excruciating and unbearable.

It was his fault she was dead... It was his fault that Alex's well being had been in danger for so long. He could never forgive himself for his first love... So how could he forgive for his next... Sasha?

"I'm sorry," Jon mumbled, his hand on Colby's shoulder, trying to be as supportive as he could in the middle of a death trap, "But we gotta get outta here, man... We could be next if we stay down here with no way out."

"Then let them come," Colby said in defeat, accepting his fate for himself, "I've done this. I'm the reason she's dead... I deserve to die like Sasha... Like-"

"No," Jon cut in, his voice raised, "Don't you even dare refer to Alex like that... She's not dead. She's strong... She's alive, Colby, she's alive."

Colby mustered up everything he could as he staggered to his feet, taking one last look at Sasha... His beautiful Sasha, torn from his heart forever now.

"Let's go," Jon muttered, unable to look at the pink haired women on the ground, fearing it be bad luck.

"Let's go..."

He helped Colby ascend the stairs, shushing the young man every time he groaned in pain. At the top of the stairs, Jon leaned Colby against the wall as he peeked his head through the doorway. It was completely clear, with the exception of a dead Phil on the floor.

"Anyone?" Colby breathed.

"Except for the pile of shit bleeding out of the floor, no... Not a single soul," Jon said, placing his arm around Colby. The two walked through the door way, looking round the front foyer. The front door was still locked from what he could see, settling a suspicion.

"There's no way he left through the front door with her... He'd be stupid to, knowing there'd be more of us on the way, scattered all over this hell hole," Jon said.

"Then where'd he go with her? Upstairs? There's nothing up there... It could be an ambush for all we know," Colby reminded him.

"It's only him that's left... He's got no one to fall back on- he's got no one to hide behind no more. We're going to find him and then I'm going to end this. You get Alex far away from here while I take care of that bastard," Jon ordered.

Colby hated the idea of letting Finn slip through his fingers, again. He wanted to be the one to slit his throat, shoot him in the head, whatever... As long as it was himself ending the bastard's life, all would be fine. "You don't know how long I've waited to kill him... You must be mental if you think I'm just gonna hand over the job and not think twice about it."

Jon chuckled. "Look at you," he pointed, "You really think you have enough left in your arsenal, for whatever he has left?"

"Yeah, I do... 'Cause I want him dead. I don't care if I'm down to one arm or leg, I'm finishing him once and for all," Colby clarified. He wasn't taking no for an answer. Not even for a consideration. He needed to clean up his mess, fix his mistakes once and for all. And he planned on doing so.

Jon really wasn't in the mood to argue, nor was there any time. "Fine," he agreed, starting up the stairs, cocking his gun, "But as soon as you spot him, shoot. Don't think about it... Just shoot. As soon as he's down, get Alex and get out of here. I'll make sure he doesn't get up."

Colby nodded, gripping his own gun tightly as he hobbled up the first few stairs, chewing the side of his cheek to subside the near unbearable pain. "Gladly," he hissed, eyes peeled confident he'd finally get to kill Finn Balor.

xXx

"Alex?" Finn's villainous voice called out, banging his fist on the last door on the left. He went to turn the handle with no luck- the door locked. So he banged his fist against the door, unknowingly his fists now bloodied. He would have noticed the thumping pain radiating from his knuckles but Finn was too entranced. Alex was behind that door and he was getting through it one way or another.

It didn't take his long to break through the middle of the door, wooden splinters exploding as his fist broke through. With his bloodied hand, Finn snaked through the hole and reached for the doorknob. He turned the metal handle, ramming his shoulder against the broken wooden door to prop it open.

He was breathing heavily when he stepped foot inside the room, both with adrenaline and rage. The pain was nothing yet, determination in his sights instead. "Alex, come out," he hissed, "I'm not going to hurt you."

Behind the closet door stood Alex with the gun she had stolen from Finn earlier. She had the thing pointed right at the door, finger ready if and when he discovered her hideout. Her other hand covered her mouth, silencing the heavy breathing of her own.

Alex was absolutely fearful, unaware Finn had retrieved another gun before making his way through the top floor of the house. But she was ready, figuring the ruthless Finn Balor had been one step further than her in every aspect.

"Alex," he called out again, closing in on the closet door. She heard his voice, figuring he now stood right in front of her- nothing but a damned wooden door separating her from death. And it would ultimately be death after all the hell she put him through... No matter how much he'd never admit to it.

Finn readied his gun, finger hovered over the trigger as his other hand closed in on the doorknob. His eyes cloudy with tears, he couldn't cope with the fact that he could quite possibly shoot her dead if she wound up behind that door. Could he actually go through with it this time?

Alex sucked in a deep breath, closing her eyes. "This was it," she thought.

"Ahhhh!" She heard a guttural like scream from the other side of the door and a loud bang against the door.

"Get him," she heard Jon's voice next. The entirety of the room sounded as if it were being demolished with bodies being slammed all over the place. Colby seemed to have a shot of adrenaline rush through his veins as he fought all over the floor with Finn, attempting to wrestle the gun away from him.

The closet door opened, the gun still pointed at point blank range. "Woah!" Jon shouted at the sight of the barrel in his face. He quickly grabbed the gun from Alex's hand, the distraught woman falling into his arms. "Let's go," he said, pulling her towards the door.

But Finn managed to slip from Colby's grip and lunge towards both Jon and Alex. She fell to her knees as Finn threw Jon into Colby. Finn went straight for Alex, grabbing her forcefully by the hair as he readied to drag her from the room. But Jon jumped to his feet before Finn even stepped foot outside. "No!" He shouted, tackling Finn to the ground.

Colby blinked until his vision cleared, his gun just a few inches from where he lay. He reached for the piece, grunting in pain. His fingers inched closer and closer, but louder sounds of distress escaped him.

Jon tried everything he could to shove Finn off of him, till he swung his fist in his face with an immediate connect. Finn fell back, reaching for another gun tucked in the inside of his jacket pocket.

Colby saw the silver piece inside Finn's pocket, his icy eyes set on Alex. He was going to shoot.

"No!" Colby shouted this time, finding the strength to lunge himself in front of Alex, the bullet from Finn's gun ripping through his body and tearing through Alex' arm.

She wept in pain, falling back to the floor with her eyes shut. Jon, enraged and with his loaded gun in his hand, wasted no time in shooting Finn point blank between the eyes- the victorious feeling gratifying.

He was finally dead... But at a cost.

Colby lay sprawled out on the hardwood floor, struggling to breath as it felt like heaviest of weights crushing his chest.

"Colby?" Alex called out as she sat up, hand clutching her wound. She leaned against the wall, in complete shock at a bleeding Colby dying in front of her.

"Fuck," Jon muttered as he realized not only had Alex been shot, but so had Colby. And it was soon to be fatal.

Alex crawled herself over to where Colby lay, her hands scrambling to apply pressure on his wounds. But he held her hands instead, trying to smile. "Don't worry about it," he whispered, coughing. Blood spewed from his mouth, the gruesome sight frightening.

"No, we can get you to the hospital," Alex said, dead set on the idea that Colby would survive the hell hole.

"I'm too far gone," he said and it crushed Alex' heart.

"But I can die knowing you'll be okay now..."

"No," Alex cried, "Colby..."

Jon held Alex by the shoulders as she cried. "Take care of her Jon," Colby said and Jon nodded, a promise he was determined never to jeopardize.

"Alex... Go with Jon and leave this place. Never look... Bring that baby into this world knowing you will never have to go trough any of this ever again."

Alex nodded, squeezing onto his hand as soon as she felt his own grip soften. "I love you," were the last words Colby spoke before he took his last breath and let go.

He was gone.

Alex could care less about the painful bullet wound in her arm as she buried her face in Jon's chest, sobbing. Colby was dead and she couldn't fathom reality just yet. It was like one big, never ending nightmare.

"Baby," Jon whispered, stroking her head, "We need to go... We need to make sure you're okay... That the baby's okay."

"I can't..."

"Alex, we have to."

"I can't leave him... He died because of me."

"You're alive because of him," Jon stated, "This is what he wanted for you, baby... He wants you to live. He wants you to take care of our child."

Alex stood to her feet, taking one last look as Colby before Jon picked her up in his arms. He carried her down the hall as she continued to cry, the reality of the situation finally setting in; Colby had died for her... And unknown to her, he'd done everything he set out to do since coming across Jon.

He made sure she was safe once again... With someone other than himself.


	22. Chapter 22

Second last one. Sorry it's so short! Again, I do not own anything but my character Alex :) Enjoy!

/

 _"Do it, love," he urged, "Show me you're loyal to me."_

Recalling the events of a few nights before left Alex shaking uncontrollably as Jon sat beside her. She didn't want to be branded a murderer, especially in her husband's presence.

"He forced me to kill one of his enemies... If I didn't do it, he probably would have killed me and my baby and the other woman I was with," Alex continued to recall, lowering her head in disgust with her own self.

She sat in a room with Jon, Joe, Antonio and Hunter, recalling every single detail about her time spent with the enemy as Hunter diligently wrote every word she spoke. Alex was exhausted, both mentally and physically. Jon suggested they head back home, finish what they could in the morning but Alex refused. She wanted everything over with as soon as possible. No more burden weighing her down and dampening what was supposed to be a joyous time in her family's life; her rescue.

"Any idea who he was?" Hunter asked.

Alex shook her head. She had no idea whose blood was on her hands. "It was just someone he despised. Probably a rival gang... Finn, Phil and The Wyatt's went in first, killed his entire crew and left him for last... For me," she reminisced with tears in her eyes, free falling. She was ashamed and saddened; branded a killer from that day forth.

"I had to prove that he could trust me. And the only way I could do that was kill for him."

Having heard the entire story over again made Jon's blood boil. How he let Alex succumb to Finn would always weigh heavy. He would always hold himself responsible for everything that ever happened to Alex... Everything she was ever involved in. And now, with the possibility of repercussions threatening to tarnish the reputation and life of the woman he loved, Jon needed to convince Hunter more than ever.

"She had to do it," Jon muttered, looking his boss straight in the eye with such intensity, Hunter felt some what intimidated.

"If she didn't do what was asked of her, you know she'd be dead... My wife would be dead. My unborn child would be dead with her," Jon said, a harsh reality he just couldn't wrap his mind around, "I'd have to sit my two kids down and explain to them why their mom wasn't coming home, Hunter... Do you understand how much that would have killed me? I'm nothing without this woman..."

"But technically, Alex committed a murder," Hunter reminded him.

"Isn't the fact that Finn kidnapped her enough of an explanation?" Jon spat back.

"For me, it is..."

"So now what?" Jon asked, "There's no proof, incriminating or not... There sure as hell aren't any witnesses alive that we can rely on. So technically, none of this ever happened."

"What're you suggesting, kid?"

"I'm sayin' as far as sources go, Alex didn't do a thing... It's one last scumbag off the street, another gang silenced for now."

Hunter chuckled. He liked the way Jon thought. "You're thinking like a cop now..."

"I'm trying to protect my wife like I should have been doing this entire time, Hunter. She's innocent, plain and simple... Now all I want is to walk out that door with my girl, reunite her with my son and her daughter and go about life like we're supposed to," Jon said, more like an order.

Hunter looked back and forth between Alex and Jon. He sighed, ripping up his piece of paper with the event Alex could recall. "Nothing happened... The kidnapping stands as is, the bad guys are dead... None of this gets out," he warned, not only Alex and Jon but Antonio and Joe too.

"You got it, boss" Antonio shrugged.

"Can I go home now?" Jon asked, standing from his seat.

Hunter nodded, standing up. He extended his hand which Jon shook and he gave a friendly nod to Alex.

"Get her home... Your family is dying to see their mother."

X

"Your little one looks great, guys. And measuring just like they're supposed to," Emma said, gliding the doppler along Alex' stomach. Jon could breathe a sigh of relief as he watched the screen showcasing his healthy son or daughter. He couldn't look away and why would he want to? Living in fear that his child was in danger, twenty four seven, never sat well with Jon. He swore he'd never take his eyes off Alex or their child, ever.

"I can see whether it is a girl or boy... If you'd like to know, that is," Emma informed.

Alex looked at Jon and he nodded. He was ready to know as was she. "Yes," Alex answered and again, Emma ran the doppler over baby Shaw.

"Ready?" Emma asked and both Jon and Alex viciously nodded. No more waiting.

"It's a girl!"

Alex smiled from ear to ear and Jon sat in his chair, completely stunned. He was having a little girl with his soon to be wife; his entire world. Now this new little girl was about to become his universe.

"Woah... A little girl," Jon said, smiling now. He placed his hand over Alex' belly, as if he were touching their beautiful creation.

"Faith," he whispered to who he thought was himself even though Alex heard the unique name clear as day.

"Faith?" She asked. Jon snapped out of his day dream, nodding his head. He'd picture his beautiful little Faith cuddled in his arm where she belonged, since the moment Alex told him she was pregnant.

"I've had this little bean named since day one, baby," he admitted, chuckling.

"Really?"

Jon nodded, a glimmer in his eyes. He was one proud dad to be. "It makes sense though... 'Cause I've never lost my faith," he explained, the corner of his lips twisting into a smile.

"She is my faith."

Emma placed her hands to her heart, looking like she was about to cry. The amount of emotion displayed by Jon was a little too much to handle for both girls. Even Alex had a hard time keeping the tears at bay, pregnancy no longer the only excuse.

"Well," Emma started, her voice crackly, "I will go and print some lovely photos of little Faith for you two. I'll be right back, love birds."

Alex sat up as Emma shut the door behind her, Jon sitting at her feet. "You really know how to get to my heart, don't cha?" She whispered.

Jon smiled, grabbing for Alex' hand. "You have no idea how goddamn happy I am that I finally have you back here, with me, with my baby..."

"You were never going to lose us, Jon."

"It felt like it, Alex... As much as I fucking hate to admit it, it goddamn felt like it."

"Shhh... I'm not going anywhere, baby. Never again. This is all over with now. It's just me, you and our family," she whispered as Jon hugged her, holding her close.

"I love you, baby," he whispered, "the two of you... 60 days to go and we get to meet this little one."

"Can you wait that long?"

"It feels like I waited a lifetime to find you, Alex... 60 days will feel like nothing."


	23. Chapter 23

This is the last chapter for (Safe) And Sound. Sorry it's a little short but it ends perfectly for my tastes. Thanks to those who have been reading and sending me feedback and reviews, not only just for this one but for Safe. It's been super fun and something different! But as always, on to other things! Thanks everyone, xo

"Man... I haven't seen you this nervous since Cam was born. You okay over there?"

"No... I'm not."

Of course Jon wasn't doing okay. Having been ushered out of the room so the anesthesiologist could administer an epidural for Alex was one thing. But not being aloud back into the room afterwards because of the baby's heart rate dropping killed Jon. He would have gone back in kicking and screaming, but the thought of getting kicked out of the hospital stopped him.

"It'll be fine," Joe reassured, patting Jon on the back, "It doesn't necessarily mean it's something bad... Like bad, bad."

"But it ain't good... Jesus, there could be something wrong with my baby girl," Jon was convinced, leaning his head against the wall.

"There isn't anything wrong with your baby... Or Alex," Joe sternly reminded his friend. Standing outside of a room, separated only by a door was far too much for either of them to handle. Just a year ago they didn't know if Alex was dead for. But Joe needed to be Jon's crutch since the guy lost all hope for the time being... But how could he blame him? Jon had been permanently scared by hospitals.

"Tell me about that beautiful little girl that's about to come into this world," Joe said, more of a command. He didn't mean for it to come out so stern. He just wanted Jon to start talking about the lighter things; to have a more optimistic view on life for a change.

"What?"

"Tell me about the baby," Joe pressed on, "Have you guys decided on a name yet?"

"Uh..." Jon stumbled, for once, at a loss for words.

"I asked if you've named her yet... I didn't ask to date her."

Jon rolled his eyes. "Yeah... Yeah we named her."

"Then what is it."

"It's Faith."

"That's beautiful, man. She got a middle name?"

"Yeah... Alina... After my mom."

"Wow... So you're on good terms with you mom now?"

"Yeah, guess I am... Sis told her that Alex was pregnant and that's what did it. We buried the hatchet and all that... Mom doesn't wanna miss anything else like she did with Cam."

"Faith Alina Shaw," Joe said, the names rolling beautiful from his tongue, "Beautiful name for a beautiful baby girl."

"What're you doing Joe?" Jon asked, realizing Joe was up to something.

"I'm trying to get you where your head is supposed to be... Thinking positive vibes, man. I can't have you talking crazy about shit that you're dead set on happening. Think about how great it's going to be going home with your girls instead, Jon. Think about something happy... No more of this dark bullshit 'cause man, we're not going through anymore dark times."

Joe was right. Jon needed to be a little more positive when it came to his baby girl and love of his life. Closing his eyes, his head in his hands, Jon thought about the little angel that was about to finally be brought into the world. He thought of that first look; like the always say...

 _Love a first sight._

He imagined staring at that little baby girl, maybe a few tears threatening to fall from his eyes because of the enormous amount of unconditional love he had for Faith.

The more he thought, the more anxious he became. He desperately wanted to see his baby. Would she have blue eyes like him? Or beautiful, dark brown like her mother? Would Faith resemble Cam or Kylie more?

As her first few awaited moments on earth excited Jon, his mind ran a million miles; imagining everything from her childhood to teenage years to come.

He imagined he'd be the one she'd come to if Alex said no, because daddy would always have a soft spot in his heart for his baby girl.

He hoped to be that shoulder to lean on when his daughter needed advice or a shit day. Jon even imagined the day he could threaten the life of the first kid to break his baby girl's heart.

It warmed his heart and as much as he didn't want to admit... Joe was right. Positive vibes.

Jon was going to walk out of that hospital with both of his girls and go about their life like they were supposed to. No more solace in made up tragedy.

"You're right," Jon admitted.

"'Course I am... I always am."

"Don't get ahead of yourself, asshole."

"All I'm saying is our baby girls are gonna grow up together and twist our heart strings like crazy, man. Get ready for it."

In beautiful, way too cliche fashion, the door to Alex's room opened; a nurse appearing. She looked around for Jon till Joe pointed him out. "Mr. Shaw?"

Jon perked up, looking up at the nurse with wide eyes. "Yeah?"

"Your wife is asking for you."

"Why? Is everything alright?" Jon panicked until Joe nudged him hard in the side, earning a loud groan.

"Yes, Mr. Shaw, everything is fine. The baby's heart rate has stabilized."

"I told you... I'm always right," Joe whispered.

"Alex is about 8 and a half centimetres dilated... So it's just about that time."

"Go, man... I wanna meet my niece already," we're the last words Jon heard as he stepped foot inside Alex' room, the door shutting behind him.

His legs felt like jelly, yet his feet a million pounds as he stepped closer and closer to the bed. He was nervous but excited all at once. It felt real, now being inside the room with Alex just moments away.

She was curled on her side in obvious pain but she was calm as she remembered her Lamaze breathing. Jon thought the classes were silly but how wrong he was. "Baby?" He called out, placing his hand on her back.

"Mmmm," Alex moaned, fighting through another contraction.

"Everything okay?"

She nodded, biting her lip till the pain finally went away. "Everything's fine now... You're here."

"I'm not going anywhere anymore... They want me out of this room, they're gonna have to drag me out."

"They almost did," she hissed, another sharp pain drilling through her spine to her stomach.

"Baby, didn't you get that back thing for the pain?"

"Epidural? No... I figured I could do it by myself... I've been through worse, haven't I?"

Jon chuckled. Yeah she had been.

It didn't feel like long until the nurse checked Alex again, smiling to another nurse. "It's about time we call the doctor... She's ready to have a baby."

Jon was in a little bit of a panic as Alex was instructed to start pushing. But he sucked back his own emotions and held onto Alex' hand as she pushed.

"1... 2... 3," the nurse finished counting. Alex fell back onto the bed, gasping for breath as another contraction rang through her body. She held in a scream, squeezing her eyes shut as she felt ready to give up. She was exhausted and sore but Jon kissed her forehead, offering words of encouragement.

"You're tough, baby... You can do this."

Alex sucked in a deep breath, opening her eyes to meet Jon's. "You can do this," he repeated.

One push after another and the doctor had finally arrived. The nurse continued her counting, the others encouraging Alex. Baby Faith was close, the doctor was confident one more push would do it.

Jon was literally on edge, awaiting the sounds of crying. "Here she is," he doctor said, grabbing a hold of the baby.

Once Jon heard the beautiful sounds of his Faith, he damn well near lost it. His girl was born... Alex was alright... Everything was okay.

"Oh my god," Alex cried as the cleaned up little girl was placed in her arms.

"Faith," both Jon and Alex mumbled.

"That's such a beautiful name," the nurse commented.

"Daddy picked it out," Alex smiled through exhaustion. She kissed the little girl's forehead, staring up at Jon.

"I love you so much," she whispered.

"Not as much as I love you and this little girl," Jon was certain.

"I don't even think I need to ask if you wanna hold her."

"Nope."

Jon gladly took his girl in his arms. It was like she was the missing piece. Faith fit so perfectly in his arms. That unconditional love was there as he stared at his beautiful creation. She looked just like Cam and Kylie... And from what he could tell, Faith had the bluest eyes. She was perfect. His whole family was perfect. As Faith's eyes began to open, she looked right into her father's eyes. Jon held her a little closer, the voice inside his head speaking as if he were doing it aloud.

My girl... My faith...

 _No one is ever going to hurt you... Because daddy's here to keep you safe and sound, baby._


End file.
